The Wild Marquis

I love discovering a new (to me) author. It happened last week when I had the pleasure of reading The Wild Marquis by Miranda Neville.

The book is far more nuanced and intelligent than its cover might suggest. The heroine is truly original, which is not always easy to find in historical romance. In this case, Juliana Merton is a seller of rare books and much of the secondary plot revolves around the buying and selling of the tomes.

The author, who is English, spent several years writing catalogues of rare books and manuscripts for Sotheby's auction house in London and New York. That real-life experience lends authenticity and depth to The Wild Marquis which is probably one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much.

The love story is mature and appealing - while a mystery is resolved in a satisfying way. If you are looking for something to read, you can't go wrong with The Wild Marquis.

The Color Purple

 

What do these three gorgeous covers have in common? 

It must be the season for purple because so many recent releases seem to be donning the color. I like the hue - and happen to have purchased all three of the above - but I do wonder about the recent purple proliferation.

If we approach it from color psychology, purple is the color of royalty and connotes luxury, wealth and sophistication. It can also symbolize magic and mystery. Purple is associated with femininity, sensuality and romance.

Purple, the color of good judgment, is sought by people seeking spiritual fulfillment. It is said if you surround yourself with purple you will have peace of mind. That is why purple is thought to be a good color to use in meditation.

Transformation, wisdom, enlightenment, cruelty, arrogance and mourning all also associated with purple, which is considered an exotic color. 

If one's mood ring turns purple, (They still make those?) it means the sensual, clarity and purpose is known.

Any, some, or all of these interpretations would seem right on target for a romance novel. Or maybe the person behind each cover just likes the shade.

Whatever the reason, the purple trend continues. Sabrina Jeffries' next novel How to Woo a Reluctant Lady  - due out in January - is pretty in purple.

Delightful 'Year of Living Scandalously'

There are many things to like about Julia London's latest offering, The Year of Living Scandalously, starting with its cover.

There seem to be lots of purple covers lately and I, for one, am liking them. Of course, taking a look at the cover, there's lots more to feast one's eyes on besides the color!

Declan O’Connor, Earl of Donnelly, arrives at Hadley Green to find that the new countess of Ashwood is actually an impostor - a woman he knows quite well from back in the day in Ireland.

Snappy repartee keeps this fun story zipping right along from start to finish. The heroine is winningly charming and the hero is easy to fall in love with.

The back story centers on the mystery surrounding the execution of a man for the theft of the Countess of Ashwood's historic jewels.London uses it to set up an intriguing twist at the end of  The Year of Living Scandalously that made me want to run out and buy the next book in the series.

That's where the bad news comes in.

According to London (per her website), the sequel - The Secrets of Hadley Green - will not be out until February of 2012. That's more than a year from now.  London says the long wait was unforeseen when she wrote the ending to The Year of Living Scandalously.

Disappointing yes, but I still plan to be among the first to read The Secrets of Hadley Green.  (I just hope I can remember the story!)


And now for the shameless plug...

Writing with the Stars Voting is Now Open!

Voting is now open in the Kensington Brava/RT Writing With the Stars contest.

Online polling runs until November 28.

I am one of eight remaining finalists in the national competition. The winner will be published. But I can't get there without your support!

Click here to check out all of the entries. I hope you will consider voting for my manuscript, Seducing Charlotte, a historical romance set against the backdrop of the dawning Industrial Revolution.

I promise voting is super quick and easy. You can click in, scroll down to the bottom, vote and be done in under a minute. No registration is required. Thank you!

A Christmas Promise Delivers

Is it too early to read holiday-themed books? Not for me apparently since I just read the last page of Mary Balogh's A Christmas Promise  (on my new Kindle, naturally).  

The novel first appeared as a Signet Regency in 1992. In it, the Earl of Falloden inherits heavy debts along with his title and agrees to marry the daughter of a wealthy coal merchant to have his debts cancelled. Eleanor Transome's father is gravely ill and wants to secure his daughter's future before he dies.

Both agree to the alliance. He thinks she is a grasping cold commoner who hungers to be a countess while she assumes Falloden is a greedy spendthrift.Of course neither is true!

When Eleanor invites her relatives to spend the holiday with them, Falloden is surprised to find himself drawn to the boisterous bunch. Since this is a romance as well as a Christmas story, it does have a happy ending. And the journey to get there is a fulfilling one. 

Balogh is one of my favorites because of her spare, almost poetic, writing style. She deftly manages to evoke deep emotion with fewer words. Her writing brings to mind Willa Cather's sparse yet evocative style.

My only pet peeve is a meaningless one really. The cover shows a couple ice skating. I don't recall that happening in the book. Am I wrong? If you've read A Christmas Promise  and do remember such a scene, let me know!


And now for the shameless plug...

Voting continues in the Kensington Brava/RT Writing With the Stars contest. I am one of eight remaining finalists in the national competition. The winner will be published.

But I can't get there without lots of support because I am up against some very talented writers. (Hopefully, one day we'll all be published!)

Click here to check out all of the entries. I hope you will consider voting for my manuscript, Seducing Charlotte, a historical romance set against the backdrop of the dawning Industrial Revolution.

I promise voting is super quick and easy. You can click in, vote and be done in under a minute. No registration is required. Thank you!

Joining the Kindle Wave

It's official. I'm a Kindle-ista. I received the latest generation of the e-reader for my birthday.

I'm still navigating my way through it. Initially, I was surprised to find the Kindle does not have a touch screen. However, my early impressions are definitely on the positive side.

It's easy to use and does feel like you're reading a regular book...only in a much cooler way! While it is strange not to have page numbers, there is a little bar at the bottom that tells me how far along I am in the book.  

I also got the saucy apple green leather cover with built-in book light, which works beautifully. I used it on the bus this morning and the entire "page" was nicely illuminated. (Yes, my commute starts so early even the sun hasn't stirred yet.)  

I have to say the ebook prices are a surprise. I've just started shopping in the Kindle store but I can't help wondering why the latest ebooks are about the same price as the paperbacks I usually pick up in the grocery store. It has got to be cheaper to sell books in e form -  without all the paper, printing and shipping costs.

But what do I know?

Prices on the older books aren't bad, though. I just purchased Mary Jo Putney's Carousel of Hearts in ebook form for just $4!

And a reminder...

Voting continues in the Kensington Brava/RT Writing With the Stars contest. I am one of eight remaining finalists in the national competition. The winner will be published...who knows...maybe in ebook form!

But I can't get there without lots of support because I am up against some very talented writers. (Hopefully, one day we'll all be published!)

Click here to check out all of the entries. I hope you will consider voting for my manuscript, Seducing Charlotte, a historical romance set against the backdrop of the dawning Industrial Revolution.

I promise voting is super quick and easy. You can click in, vote and be done in under a minute. No registration is required. Thank you!  

 

Ebook Explosion

More and more people seem to be reading ebooks lately but do you ever wonder just how big a piece of the market they are?

Publishers Marketplace puts that figure at about eight percent for 2010. About $304.6 million worth of ebooks have been sold so far this year.

The latest monthly figures from 12 publishers show that ebooks made up about 7.5 percent of overall book sales in September. Total trade print sales for the month were at $489.5 million.

According to the American Association of Publishers, ebook sales continue to grow at what seems to be an astonishing rate, with a 158.1 percent increase over September 2009.

But the experts caution that we should not read too much into these figures. That's because 12 companies report their ebook sales while about 20 companies report trade print sales so these final numbers could be somewhat skewed.
 
And a reminder...

Voting continues in the Kensington Brava/RT Writing With the Stars contest. I am one of eight finalists in the national competition. The winner will be published...who knows...maybe in ebook form! But I can't get there without lots of support because I am up against some very talented writers.

Click here to check out all of the entries. I hope you will consider voting for my manuscript, Seducing Charlotte, a historical romance set against the backdrop of the dawning Industrial Revolution.

I promise voting is super quick and easy. You can click in, vote and be done in under a minute. No registration is required. Thank you!

Highland Hellcat is a Must Read

First of all, I think the cover of Mary Wine's Highland Hellcat is gorgeous and the pages in between don't disappoint either.

The highly-engaging plot involves Connor, who arranges to marry Diedre for the strong political alliance it will bring him. However, when he discovers Diedre has slept with the enemy, he steals her sister, Brina, instead. The only problem (aside from the fact that he steals a human being) is that Brina is promised to the church. She's been groomed for the life of a nun although it doesn't take too long for Connor to arouse some unholy feelings in her.

The interplay between the two is so much fun and they have that 'spark'. What I also enjoy about Mary's writing is the little historical tidbits she slips in along the way. I don't know about you, but I enjoy a strong historical component in my historical romances.

I highly recommend this memorable read. It's the most entertaining book I've read in a while.

And I'm not only saying that because Mary Wine is my mentor in Kensington Brava's Writing with the Stars contest. While that is the reason I first picked up one of her books, I bought Highland Hellcat because I was really excited to read it.

Speaking of excited...I'm thrilled to have made it into the second round of the Writing with the Stars contest. Online voting is now open for the category of Best Hero and Heroine.

Initially, 10 finalists were selected by editors Alicia Condon and Megan Records at Kensington. Online voters whittled that number down to eight after the first round. The last writer standing wins a book deal!

Click here to read the passages and then scroll all the way down to the bottom for the menu of author names to vote.

I hope you'll consider voting for me. It's very quick and easy. You can click in, VOTE and be out in under a minute.

Thanks for your support! 

Writing With the Stars - Making it to Round Two!

The exciting news today is that my manuscript, Seducing Charlotte - a Regency romance set against the backdrop of the dawning Industrial Revolution - has made it into the second round of Brava Kensington's Writing With the Stars contest. A big thank you to all who voted for my entry. I could not have done it without you!

If you're new to the blog, here's the deal. Late last summer, Kensington Editors Alicia Condon and Megan Records selected 10 finalists for the competition. The grand prize is every unpublished writer's dream: a publishing contract!

But, first, that person has to make it through five rounds of competition. Two finalists were eliminated after the first round, in which readers of RT Book Reviews voted online for their favorite First Paragraph and Last Sentence.

Round Two begins today!

This time the category is Best Hero and Heroine in 150 words or less - no easy task. We were assigned mentors for this contest. I lucked out with Mary Wine, author of books such as To Conquer a Highlander and Highland Hellcat,  who helped me refine my descriptions to really make them shine.

Check it out for yourself and see what you think. CLICK HERE to read all of the entries. I hope you will consider voting for me! It is very quick. You can click in, vote and be done in under a minute.

I appreciate your support! 

 

Harlequin Digital Sales Skyrocket , While US Sales Weaken

Wondering about the future role of ebooks in the marketplace? Well,   Harlequin just announced that it's digital sales jumped 70 percent in the first nine months of 2010. 

At the same time, according to parent company Torstar, Harlequin also experienced weaker U.S. retail sales in the period between April and June of this year. The company does not break its digital sales down by region so there's no telling how much of their ebook action came from U.S. readers. 

Along with ebook sales, Harlequin's direct sales to consumers as well as its overseas business increased. Overall, its book publishing revenues rose $1.4 million in the third quarter - the period between April 1 and June 30, 2010.

However, Torstar said it expects sales for the entire year to be down compared to 2009, because of diminished U.S. retail sales.

The news comes as Harlequin prepares to shelve its Silhouette and Steeple Hill imprints. The series will now be called Harlequin. Otherwise all of the books series will remain the same. The company believes the stronger Harlequin branding will make it easier for consumers to find their products.

A Hellion in Her Bed

A Hellion in Her Bed is my latest read. It's the second book in Sabrina Jeffries' current Regency series, The Hellions of Halstead Hall.

Hellion's  heroine has the most original occupation I've seen in historical romance in quite a while.  Annabel Lake is a brew mistress trying to save her foundering family brewery. Enter gambler Lord Jarret Sharpe, who has agreed to run his own more successful family brewery for a year. Annabel seeks Jarret out because she wants the two breweries to go into business together.

When he balks, she proposes a card game. If she wins, he must help save her family’s business. But if he wins, she must spend a night in his bed. Mmmhmm. Sexy set up. 

Jeffries' fun and humorous writing style continues to sparkle in this latest book. Annabel is a memorable heroine you can root for. The romance satisfies and the Sharpes continue to be an emotionally-damaged family we care about.

If you're looking for an entertaining read, check out A Hellion in Her Bed.   

Romancing the Recession

At the recent New Jersey Romance Writers' conference, moderator Terri Brisbin asked a panel of editors about the state of romance in these challenging economic times.

According to Kensington Assistant Editor Megan Records, romance is the only genre that's growing right now.

Leah Hultenschmidt, who recently joined Sourcebooks, says she was hired specifically for the romance line because the company wants more of the genre.

As Holly Blanck of St Martin's Press sees it, romance is holding steady while young adult is expanding.

The editors say ebooks sales are growing but the industry is still grappling with how to quantify those sales, which are difficult to pinpoint. However, most seem to agree that romance sells extremely well in ebook form.

They also pointed out that ebook sales don't count towards The New York Times bestseller list.  
 

If my good friend and conference roomie, Angela (right) is any indication, romance is doing just fine.

Here she is in our hotel room surrounded by her loot: freebies and a good number of books she purchased at the conference's Literacy Book Fair.

Doesn't she look like a cover model?

She definitely looks happy!

UPDATE: I''ve taken the plunge and developed an author website that I actually have to pay for! I hope you'll start visiting me there; that's where I'll be blogging from now on! Come along and have a look! Click here.

What an Editor Wants

What do the following editors have in common?

Amanda Bergeron -- Avon/Harper Collins
Holly Blanck -- St Martin's Press
Stacy Boyd -- Silhouette Desire
Lia Brown -- Avalon
Leah Hultenschmidt -- Sourcebooks
Alex Logan -- Grand Central Publishing
Evette Porter -- Kimani, Kimani Tru/Harlequin
Megan Records -- Kensington Books
Patience Smith -- Harlequin/Silhouette

They all have pet peeves about what they do and don't want to see in a query or manuscript submission. This impressive group of publishing industry professionals was on an Editors Panel at the recent New Jersey Romance Writers conference.

Kensington's Megan Records hates poor research. She wants people who submit to her to know her name and how to spell it as well as what line they are targeting. Alex Logan at Grand Central does not want to see anything longer than 80,000 to 85,000 words.

Leah Hultenschmidt of Sourcebooks gets annoyed when people send a manuscript in chapter pieces. She wants to see the entire manuscript in one document.  Avon's Amanda Bergeron says writers should remember to make their query letters professional, because they represent your writing.

They all want to know about contests wins, other manuscripts or books, and anything else that tells them that you are looking at writing as a career and not a lark. The editors prefer that you use your name as your email address and not a family email address, which makes it more difficult for them to find your submission should they go back and look for it.

Oh, and as to whether you need an agent. The editors say they always look at things sent to them by agents first. A good reason to try to land an agent, wouldn't you say?

1st Place 'Put Your Heart in a Book' Contest

Yours truly with the one and only Madeline Hunter!

What an amazing weekend!

Not only did my manuscript, Seducing Charlotte, take first place in the New Jersey Romance Writers' Put Your Heart in a Book contest, but my other Regency romance, Compromising Willa, came in second.

It was my first writer's conference and I don't think I could have picked a better one.

Of course, winning helped!

Truthfully though, the workshops were run by big names in romance and each one I attended had real value. I'll blog about what I learned in the individual workshops in the coming days.

Me with the lovely Jessica Dickstein,
who ran the NJ RWA's
2010 PYHIAB contest. 

A major highlight of the weekend was meeting one of my favorite authors, Madeline Hunter, who served as a final judge in the competition.

 After attending her workshop, I ran into Madeline in the hotel lobby the following morning. She was incredibly generous, spending a good amount of time chatting with me about my work - especially the use of conflict and the value of strong, original openings in my manuscripts.

It was also a treat to speak to her about her books.

How often does a reader get to talk directly to the author about a book? I also had a chance to do so with Meredith Duran and Sherry Thomas, both of whom gave workshops at the conference.

With my DC chapter mate
Marta Bliese, who won in
 the paranormal category.

There were plenty of editors and agents there. They were not so fearsome in the flesh! The industry professionals shared their pet peeves which I'll write more about soon.

The only downside to the weekend was learning far too late that my husband had set the GPS to avoid toll roads (from a previous trip). No problem - at first - since the directions I had googled were simple enough.

That is, until we overshot the exit on the New Jersey Turnpike.

Let's just say we took a scenic drive of New Jersey back roads while trying to find our way back to the conference!

Guesting on Another Blog Today

The talented author Mia Marlowe has been kind enough to showcase the finalists of the Writing with the Stars contest on her blog.

 I'm showcased today and there's another very short excerpt from Seducing Charlotte.

Check it out! And leave a comment if you'd like.

One PERFECT Rose

I just finished reading Mary Jo Putney's One Perfect Rose. And I found it to be...well...just about perfect.

When Stephen Kenyon, Duke of Ashburton, finds out he is dying, he sets off on a journey to come to terms with the devastating news. He hooks up with a traveling acting troop and falls in love with Rosalind, one of the players.

Putney's sensitive portrayal of Stephen's changing emotions is particularly complex, insightful and poignant. She expertly delves into his maelstrom of emotions: the desperation, fear, anger and, finally, some acceptance. Putney's excellent characterization also heightens the bittersweetness of Stephen's relationship with Rose since both of them know time is running out.

Of course, this is a romance novel so there is a happily ever after. The twist of how this happens is both surprising and satisfying. Putney leaves clues along the way but my theory as to what was really wrong with Stephen turned out to be completely wrong!

If you're looking for a particularly satisfying romantic read, I highly recommend One Perfect Rose.

Next up for me: Mary Wine's Highland Hellcat. It's the follow up to To Conquer a Highlander, which I first picked up after Mary was assigned to be my mentor in the Writing with the Stars contest.

Writing With the Stars

 For those who don't know, I am one of 10 finalists vying for the top prize in the contest: to be published by Kensington Brava!  In the first round, readers of RT Book Reviews vote for the Best First Paragraph and Last Line.

Click here to read all of the entries.

I hope you will consider voting for my entry, Seducing Charlotte. Be warned though, it's a little spicy! And, if you want to read more,  here's a sample of the FIRST CHAPTER.

There are only four days left to cast your vote in the first round. VOTING is quick and easy. You can click in, vote and be out in under a minute

I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY hope to move into the next round but I can't get there without your help!

I truly appreciate your support!

So Long Silhouette, Harlequin Gets a Facelift

Leading romance publisher Harlequin is making some changes.

One of those moves includes phasing out its well-known Silhouette line.The series will now be called Harlequin instead.

In a letter to its authors, the publisher says the move comes at the suggestion of a leading branding company.

Silhouette Nocturne was already renamed Harlequin Nocturne in June 2010. Special Edition, Romantic Suspense and Desire will debut with their new Harlequin brand in April.

The company believes stamping the Harlequin name on the series will strengthen the brand. Makes sense to me.

The Steeple Hill logo is also riding off into the sunset. It will be replaced by Love Inspired as the primary imprint for Harlequin's inspirational fiction line.

Read more about all of the Harlequin changes HERE.

What I'm Reading...

By the way, I just finished Liz Carlyle's latest offering, One Touch of Scandal.

It's an enjoyable read although I found it to be a slight departure from her previous novels.

The hero, Ruthveyn, belongs to a secret ancient society and possesses dark gifts that he grapples with. He falls for Grace Gauthier, a governess who might be guilty of killing her employer, who was also about to become her betrothed.

Next on my reading list is a throw-back: Mary Jo Putney's One Perfect Rose, which was re-released by Kensington in April 2010.  

And don't forget...

If you haven't already, please take a moment to vote in the Writing with the Stars contest. I am one of 10 finalists vying for the top prize: to be published by Kensington Brava!  In the first round, readers of RT Book Reviews vote for the Best First Paragraph and Last Line.

Click here to read all of the entries.

I hope you will consider voting for my entry, Seducing Charlotte. Be warned though, it's a little spicy! And, if you want to read more,  here's a sample of the FIRST CHAPTER.

VOTING is quick and easy. You can click in and out in under a minute. I promise.

Mary Wine, Mentor Extraodinaire

My mentor for the Writing with the Stars contest is the extraordinary Mary Wine.

During Round One (Best First Paragraph and Last Line) - in her gentle but tenacious way - Mary urged me tighten up my writing and axed the passive verbs which took some of the oomph out of the entry. Her insight about certain descriptions and word choices editors don't want to see in a romance novel proved invaluable.  

Mary has also been wonderfully forthcoming in sharing her hands-on knowledge of how the publishing industry works. She generously answers all of the many questions I pepper her with. Not only is her unique insight  fascinating to hear, but it will no doubt help me on my road to publication.

As soon as I found out Mary was my mentor, I ran out and brought her book, To Conquer a Highlander, which takes place in 1437 Scotland. I loved it!

The story involves Laird Torin McLeren, who hopes to prevent war by kidnapping his enemy's daughter, Shannon. Of course, they fall in love and the historical tidbits sprinkled throughout make this a compelling read.

I'm anxious to read the next book in the series, Highland Hellcat, which focuses on Laird Connor Lindsey. Seeking a strong political alliance, Connor arranges to marry Diedre but when he discovers that she isn’t pure, he steals her sister, Brina, even though she is promised to the church.

Here's another teachable moment from Mary. I did not know third daughters in late 1430s Scotland were always promised to the church. These daughters knew their fate since childhood and were treated with extra care because of it. That makes the set up to Highland Hellcat all the more intriguing!

You can check out Mary's mentoring skills by reading the first paragraph and last line of  my historical Regency romance, Seducing Charlotte, by clicking HERE.

If you'd like to read more, I hope you'll consider VOTING for my entry in the Writing with the Stars contest. I promise it's very quick and easy. You can click in, vote and be done in under a minute.

If you enjoy the first paragraph, here's the FIRST CHAPTER.

2nd Place - Heart to Heart Contest

My manuscript, "Seducing Charlotte," just took second place in the 2010 Heart to Heart contest sponsored by the San Francisco Area Romance Writers of America. For a better look at the certificate, just click on the image.

By the way, I would highly recommend this contest because it was very well organized and coordinator Bettina Clairmont kept contestants informed as to the progress of the judging and of any delays. And the final judges were an impressive group of industry professionals.

In the historical category, they included Avon Editor Amanda Bergeron,  Barbara Poelle of the Irene Goodman Literary Agency and e-publisher Jessica Schulte, Carina Press. I placed second overall but Avon's Amanda Bergeron ranked my entry first. So that's pretty reaffirming!

"Seducing Charlotte" is also a finalist in Kensington Brava's Writing With the Stars contest. The grand prize is a publishing contract. Check it out and please consider VOTING for me! Click here now to read more.

If the first paragraph intrigues you, here's the FIRST CHAPTER. To learn more about the plots of both of my manuscripts, CLICK HERE.

Vote Now! 'Writing with the Stars' Contest Begins

I ran out to my local Borders on Monday to get the latest copy of RT Book Reviews.

They didn't have it out on the floor but the gentleman behind the counter said he would check the unopened box of new magazines and there it was!

I quickly leafed through it until I found my picture and profile for the "Writing with the Stars" contest. I excitedly showed it to the salespeople and said, "That's me. I'm in the magazine!"

I know. How uncool. But there it is.

I can't help being incredibly excited to be a finalist in Kensington Brava and RT Book Reviews' "Writing with the Stars" contest. The winner lands a book contract.

Now that's cool.

After buying the magazine and checking out my picture and those of my talented fellow finalists, I dragged my 11-year-old over to the Romance section to show him some of the Kensington Brava books on the shelf.  From the look of wonderment on his face, I'd say that's the moment he really got it - what this competition is  all about. We took a minute to admire the beautiful trade paperbacks together before getting back on task and forging ahead to finish the day's errands.

Getting back to the contest,  here's the recap...

There are five rounds of competition. Readers of the RT Book Reviews website and magazine will vote for the winner online.

First round voting continues through October 24. The category is "Best First Paragraph and Last Sentence".

If you're intrigued by the first paragraph of my historical romance, "Seducing Charlotte," I've posted the entire FIRST CHAPTER online. Check it out!

If you'd like to see it as a published book, I hope you'll consider voting for me.

Writing With the Stars: Round One

The competition is officially under way!

For those of you who aren't familiar with the contest, here's a quick recap: I am one of 10 finalists in the "Writing With the Stars" contest sponsored by Kensington Brava and RT Book Reviews.

There are five rounds of competition. Readers of the RT Book Reviews website and magazine will vote for the winner online. The top prize is a book contract with Kensington.

First round voting opens today. The category is "Best First Paragraph and Best Last Sentence".

If you're intrigued by the first paragraph of my historical romance, "Seducing Charlotte," I've posted the entire first chapter online. Check it out! If you'd like to see it as a published book, I hope you'll consider voting for me.

Third Place 2010 Orange Rose Contest

The results are in! I placed third in the 2010 Orange Rose contest for my manuscript "Seducing Charlotte."

Two acquiring editors were the final judges. The entry consisted of the first 50 pages of the manuscript.

The top ten finalists were selected by overall score, independent of category. Mine was the only historical on the list of finalists.

My sincere thanks to the Orange County Chapter of RWA - especially contest coordinator Lynn Nissen - for putting together such an organized, well-run contest.

Oh, and there's a cash prize of $50. Spa manicure/pedicure, here I come!

Sinful in Satin

I just finished reading Madeline Hunter's latest book, "Sinful in Satin," the third in her The Rarest Blooms series. I always savor Madeline Hunter's seamless prose - often pausing to reread lines simply because they are so beautifully crafted. (By the way, Hunter is another one of those "scholarly" romance writers. She holds a Ph.D. in Art History and teaches at the college level.)

Getting back to "Sinful in Satin," Celia is the daughter of a courtesan who's been groomed to take over the family business. However, she runs away before Mom can sell her daughter's services to the highest bidder. Years later, while trying to make a respectable life for herself, Celia falls for the enigmatic Jonathan. Luckily for him, Celia can finally put all those skills Mommy taught her to good use. Yep, it's pretty steamy.

The story moves along at a restrained pace, steadily building a mystery — involving both Jonathan and Celia — that is resolved in a satisfying conclusion. I didn't LOVE the last page but, who cares, by then I was already sold on the characters and the plot line.

While I enjoy all of Hunter's books, I think my favorite remains "Secrets of Surrender," which brings the son of a coal miner - who has done very well for himself - together with a lady whose reputation has been destroyed by a family scandal. The novel begins with him "buying" her at an auction. Need I say more?

Do you have a favorite Madeline Hunter book? Have you read "Sinful in Satin" yet?

By the way, Ms. Hunter is actually judging two of my finalist entries in the New Jersey Romance Writers 2010 "Put Your Heart in a Book" contest for unpublished writers. Both of my completed manuscripts, "Compromising Willa" and "Seducing Charlotte" are nominated in the historical category. The winners will be announced later this month.

When I picked up my first Madeline Hunter book a few years ago, I never dreamed that one day she would be reading my work!

The Promise

I just finished reading Brenda Joyce's new book, "The Promise," the latest  in her intriguing de Warenne family dynasty. This is Alexi and Elysse's story. I always enjoy Joyce's books and this one is no exception. Do you have a favorite book in the series? I think mine is Rex and Blanche's story, "The Perfect Bride." What can I say? I guess I'm a sucker for damaged people - he's lost a leg and she suffers serious flashbacks from a childhood trauma.

I am also looking forward to the return of Joyce's Deadly series featuring amateur sleuth Francesa Cahill. Joyce wrote eight highly entertaining books in the series before she says her publisher asked her to put them aside. What a bummer for fans of the series who were looking forward to Francesca's long-awaited marriage to that hot Calder Hart. Theirs must be the longest engagement in romance novel history!

The latest Deadly book comes out in March 2011. According to Joyce, she'd like to write three more books in the series but that depends on how well the books sell. I, for one, can't wait to buy all three! If you haven't tried this series, you should. For more details on the new Deadly books, check out Joyce's letter on the subject. 

Next up for me is Madeline Hunter's latest offering, "Sinful in Satin," the third book in The Rarest Blooms series. Any Madeline Hunter book is a special treat.

That's the upside of a long bus commute into the city...plenty of time to read!

Scholars Who Write Romance

If the shoe fits...

I'm currently reading Eloisa James' latest book, "A Kiss at Midnight," sort of a retelling of Cinderella.

So far, I am enjoying this saucy incarnation of a Cinderella who is no door mat. As a girl listening to the fairy tale, I always wished poor Cindy would show some backbone and give her evil stepmother a good kick in the shins.

Reading the book got me thinking about James' other job — as a literature professor at Fordham University. And did you know that best-selling author Julia Quinn went to Harvard? That's right. Harvard.

We're obviously dealing with some extremely intelligent women — which is not always the image people have of romance writers. 

Check out this 2009 article from USA Today entitled, "Scholarly Writers Empower the Romance Genre."

How Much Can Romance Writers Earn?

An agent with a well-known agency said recently that it is not unusual for a first-time romance author to get a $2,500 advance. Sometimes, she added, that advance can be upped to $5,000 or $10,000 (not including royalties).

Another romance author tells me she received a $7,000 advance for the first book, $8,000 for the second and $9,000 for the third title in a three-book deal with a major publisher.

Another signed a multi-book deal, with a mid-sized, up-and-coming publisher, which included a $2,000 advance per title.

For more detailed numbers, including royalties, check out this candid discussion of earnings from cozy mystery writer Ellery Adams.

To learn more about advances from the specific publishing houses, click here.

Of course, some of the biggest stars in the genre do very well. Here's a look at some recent deals which show a range of advances:

NYT bestselling author Madeline Hunter's next four historical romances, to Wendy McCurdy at Berkley, in a major deal ($500,000 and up) by Pam Hopkins at Hopkins Literary Associates

#1 NYT bestselling author Julia Quinn's three novels, to Lyssa Keusch at Harper, in a major deal ($500,000 and up), by Steven Axelrod of The Axelrod Agency

RITA-award winning author of Not Quite A Husband, Sherry Thomas's next three Victorian/Edwardian historical romances, moving to Wendy McCurdy at Berkley, in a good deal ($100,000 - $250,000), by Kristin Nelson at Nelson Literary Agency

NYT bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann's FUTURE PERFECT, to Shauna Summers at Ballantine, in a good deal ($100,000 - $250,000), by Steven Axelrod at The Axelrod Agency.

NYT and USA Today bestseller Sarah MacLean's next four Regency romances, to Carrie Feron at Avon, in a significant deal ($251,000 - $499,000), by Alyssa Eisner Henkin at Trident Media Group

2010 RITA nominee for The Virgin's Daughters Jeane Westin's THE QUEEN'S LADY SPY, to Ellen Edwards at NAL, in a nice deal ($1 - $49,000), by Danielle Egan-Miller at Browne & Miller Literary Associates.
 
Tracy Madison's three holiday books, to Gail Chasan at Silhouette Special Edition, in a nice deal ($1 - $49,000), by Michelle Grajkowski at 3 Seas Literary Agency.

Interesting, no?

UPDATE: I''ve taken the plunge and developed an author website that I actually have to pay for! I hope you'll start visiting me there; that's where I'll be blogging from now on! Come along and have a look! Click here.

A Day with Literary Agent Nephele Tempest

I just met my first real live agent in the flesh, Nephele Tempest of The Knight Agency. Nephele's workshop was presented by the Washington Romance Writers. She was warm and approachable and did not seem to mind at all when people walked up to ask questions after her talk.

Nephele gave an extremely informative presentation on a number of topics including how to write a synopsis and finding the agent that's right for you. Nephele also gave us some insight into the mood of editors these days. Since I think others will find it as interesting as I did, here goes:

• Paranormal is still big but some editors are starting to say they don't want to see any more vampires, werewolves or shapeshifters

• Historicals are picking up (mostly Regencies)

• Funny contemporary romances are not selling terribly well

• Women's fiction that does not sound like Chick lit (focusing more on a woman's journey) is selling

• Erotica still sells but has slowed down and is not moving as briskly as it once was

•  Escapist anything is very popular

• Young Adult is huge right now

 Nephele's personal take is that there are not enough books on the market right now geared to high school-aged boys.

UPDATE: I''ve taken the plunge and developed an author website that I actually have to pay for! I hope you'll start visiting me there; that's where I'll be blogging from now on! Come along and have a look! Click here.

Writing With the Stars...Here We Go!

The Writing With the Stars competition is about to get under way. I am one of 10 finalists vying for the top prize...to be published by Kensington Brava!

The contest is a blend of Dancing With the Stars and American Idol. Each finalist works with a professional, published writer who helps her hone her entries (each round has a writing challenge). An industry professional assesses the entries but - in the end - the viewers/users determine the winner. Online voting begins October 11.

You can check out all of the finalists at RTBookReviews.
Of course, I immediately scoped out the competition. It's such an interesting group of writers from a variety of genres. And I'm trying not to be intimidated by the fact that some of my fellow finalists have already published ebooks with very reputable online publishers. Pretty impressive.


What an incredible opportunity for any aspiring author. I still can't completely believe it.  It wasn't that long ago that I shied away from telling people I was writing a book.

Speaking of impressive...

My mentor for the duration of the contest is the amazing Brava author Mary Wine. Being paired with such a gifted writer has turned out to be an incredible stroke of luck for me.

More on the delightful and generous Ms. Wine in a future post.

Molly Contest Finalist

My manuscript, "Compromising Willa," just moved into the final round of the 2010 Molly Contest sponsored by the Heart of Denver Romance Writers!

It's a thrill because the Molly is one of the better known chapter contests. The final round judge in the Historical category is Meredith Giordan, Berkley Publishing Group.

I have a special soft spot for "Willa" because it was my first completed manuscript and I absolutely love the hero and heroine. Hopefully, the final round judge will feel the same way!

Writing With the Stars!

WOW! Can you hear me screaming yet? I've had to keep quiet about some amazing news until it was publicly announced...so here it finally is: 

RT BOOK REVIEWS announced on its blog today that my manuscript, "Seducing Charlotte,"  is one of 10 finalists in the Writing With the Stars contest sponsored by RT and Kensington’s Brava imprint.

There will be five rounds of competition. The aspiring authors are paired with Brava authors who will serve as mentors, kind of a "Dancing with the Stars" concept for unpublished writers. We get to work with our mentors and they help us spruce up our entries to make them as strong as possible.

Receiving the phone call from Kensington Associate Editor Megan Records was a surreal experience. I couldn't quite feel my excitement because I couldn't feel anything at all! She was so nice and patient with all of my distracted questions.

I've got some intense competition. Good luck to all of us!

The winning author's manuscript will be published by Kensington.  

Fantastic News From the Golden Gate City

I received an email last night with a list of the 2010 Heart to Heart finalists and my name is on it!

My manuscript, "Seducing Charlotte," is nominated in the Historical category.

The contest is sponsored by the San Francisco chapter of the Romance Writers of America. I had to submit, "that magical scene in which your hero and heroine meet for the first time." Submissions could run a maximum of 15 pages.

It's very exciting because the final round has an excellent set of judges for the Historical category. They include both a print editor and an ePub editor as well as an agent.

Agent: Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman Literary Agency
Print Editor: Amanda Bergeron, Avon
ePub Editor: Jessica Schulte, Carina Press

Final round winners will be announced on September 30.