"Great Gatsby" House Demolished

A piece of literary history is no more. The iconic New York mansion that some say inspired "The Great Gatsby" is being razed to make way for a subdivision.



Razing of the mansion known as Land's End began last weekend. The 13-acre property facing the Long Island Sound will be replaced by five $10 million houses. The local newspaper reports that Winston Churchill, the Marx Brothers and Ethel Barrymore attended parties there in the 1920s and 1930s.

The house - which featured marble, parquet floors, Palladian windows and hand-painted wallpaper - had fallen into disrepair. The developer who bought it several years ago said he could no longer keep up with repairs.

Local lore says F. Scott Fitzgerald would watch the grand parties at Land's End from a property across the water - and that may have inspired "The Great Gatsby."

CBS Sunday Morning recently ran a piece about the mansion and filmed its demolition. Check out the video here.

Ebooks, Pricing & Discovering a New Author

I recently discovered a new author whose work I absolutely love. Of course, that's nothing new, we've all done that before. It is how I discovered Margaret Mallory that is new in this evolving ebook universe.

In February, I saw it posted somewhere online that the first book in her All the King's Men series was being offered for $1.99. I was not familiar with Mallory but - since I can't resist a good deal - I went straight to Amazon and downloaded Knight of Desire.

It was a thoroughly entertaining read - fast paced, well written, passionate and sexy with very appealing lead and secondary characters. I finished it quickly and was anxious to read the two remaining books in the series. But I was busy at work and with the kids and had plenty of other unread books on my nightside table so I put any new purchases out of my mind for the moment.

This month Mallory tweeted that the second book in the series, Knight of Pleasure, was now $1.99. I jumped on it and devoured the second book quickly. It was possibly even better than the first.

Now the third book in the series is calling my name. It is still listed at regular price - but what can I say - I'm hooked! Even if Knight of Passion (I do love the titles in this trilogy) never goes on sale, I know I am going to pony up and pay full price.  

The thing is I probably would not have even sampled Margaret Mallory's work at all if it had not been for the great deals which enticed me to give her novels a try. Now I'll probably read everything she writes.

Thanks to savvy ebook pricing and marketing, social networking and captivating storytelling, everybody wins.

And it's not only Knight of Passion that I've got my eye on. Mallory has a new book, The Guardian, coming out on May 1. There is no doubt that I will read it.

The only question is whether or not I'll pre-order it.

February E-book Sales Skyrocket

Publisher's Weekly reports that ebook sales increased at a higher rate in February than they did in January. 

According to the American Associate of Publishers (AAP), ebook sales increased 202 percent, raking in $90 million. 

February wasn't so good to other forms of books, which all saw declines. Adult hardcover fell 43 percent to $46 million and mass market paperback plunged 41.5 percent to $29 million.

The AAP believes the ebook gains are the result of people loading ebooks onto the e-readers they received for the holidays.

Whatever the reason, according to Publishers Weekly, ebook sales for the first two months of 2011  equalled sales of trade paperbacks for that period.

Free Eloisa James Novella!

Eloisa James' ebook novella, A Fool Again, is now being offered for free. You can order the novella now but it won't be available until April 26th.

Here are the links for Kindle and Nook. You'll notice the two different covers. The one on the right is from Amazon. The Barnes & Noble Nookbook cover is below.   Interesting how the two covers set entirely different moods.

Here's the Synopsis:

 

A Fool Again is the story of Genevieve, who once made a dash to Gretna Greene to marry, but was caught by her father. 

Now, a few years later, she attends the funeral of her elderly husband (not the man she ran away to marry) and who does she see but The One Who Got Away! 

Can they make their love work this time around or will Genevieve be A Fool Again?

E-Book Deal: 2010 Rita Nominated 'Knight of Pleasure' for $1.99

Margaret Mallory's Knight of Pleasure, a 2010 Rita finalist, is now just $1.99 on Kindle and Nook. It's the second book in the talented author's All the King's Men trilogy.

Here's the link for Kindle. Here it is for Nook.

I recently read the first book in the series, Knight of Desire, and am looking forward to reading Knight of Pleasure. 

There is no telling how long this deal will last. Just to be safe it is already on my Kindle. I love a good deal!  

Here's a preview of the story from Mallory's Website:

THE GREATEST PASSION

Lady Isobel Hume is an expert swordswoman who knows how to choose her battles. When the king asks her to wed a French nobleman to form a political alliance, she agrees. But that's before the devilishly charming Sir Stephen Carleton captures her heart-and tempts her to betray her betrothed, her king, and her country.

IS WORTH THE GREATEST PERIL

Sir Stephen Carleton enjoys his many female admirers-until he dedicates himself to winning the lovely Isobel. When a threat against the king leads Isobel into mortal danger, Stephen must prove that he is more than a knight of pleasure ... and that love can conquer all.

Enjoy! I plan to.

Random House Partners with Video Game Maker

Random House is expanding its interest in the videogame business by partnering with game producer THQ.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the collaboration tests the idea of "transmedia" - original storytelling that spreads across a variety of formats.

The Wall Street Journal reports "The two companies said they intend to create a wide spectrum of original works that include novels, graphic novels and digital books, as wells as online, console and mobile-phone games. Hollywood may participate as well."

The ideal scenario would have Random House publishing a blockbuster book which lends itself to a Hollywood movie, videogame and toys.

It would probably be 18 months before any joint Random House-THQ venture hits the market. 

Read the full article HERE.

FREE E-BOOK TODAY!

"The Pursuit of Pleasure," by Elizabeth Essex, is now free for Kindle or Nook.

I don't know how long the promotion will last but I've already got it on my Kindle.

Here's the book synopsis:

Lizzie Paxton's dream in life is to be a widow—if only she could skip the wedding and the husband. When her childhood friend Captain James Marlowe proposes a marriage in name only, she accepts, knowing she'll have the independence she craves once he sets sail. Though James is the only man Lizzie trusts, she doesn't trust the scintillating desire he evokes in her.

James knows he shouldn't get involved with anyone, especially with his uncertain future. But he just can't help himself when he overhears Lizzie's declaration. Though he's promised her a marriage of convenience, he wastes no time in seducing her and taking her over the precipice of desire. Yet not even his beautiful wife can deter him from his cause.

But when Lizzie discovers her husband has deceived her, James must choose between devotion to duty and loyalty to the woman he cannot live without. .

Here's the link for Kindle. Here it is for Nook.

Enjoy!

Jane Eyre, Rochester & Modern Romance

With the new Jane Eyre movie now in theaters, I decided to reread the classic story and was struck by how many of its themes still resonate today. It certainly is gothic - with its shadowed middle-of-the-night happenings and the lunatic wife locked in the attic.



But what surprised me were the feminist themes. Jane is a forthright and smart young woman who laments the lack of intellectual pursuits for women - even commenting that females need to be stimulated in the same way that men do. And this was back in 1847.  

I also couldn't help thinking that Edward Rochester would never cut it as a hero in today's romance world. This is a man who deliberately taunts Jane by pretending he is about to marry another woman. He also lies to her, almost commits bigamy and repeatedly tries to convince her to become his mistress. Not exactly the traditional hero.

But perhaps that is part of his appeal. Rochester is not handsome and a forthright Jane even tells him so. However,  that he falls totally and completely in love with our heroine is not in question. Ultimately, we do fall for him and his intensity. He is the ultimate suffering hero. And,  Jane does refer to Rochester's broad chest and athletic form.

I guess some aspects of a romance hero endure over time.

Self E-Publishing Phenom Scores Big Money Traditional Book Deal

The New York Times reports that self-epublishing sensation Amanda Hocking has landed a four-book deal with St. Martin’s Press, a traditional publisher.

The new series will be called “Watersong.” The Times reports that the bidding went over $2 million for world English rights. No comment yet from St. Martin's. 

Hocking, 26, made headlines for selling more than a million copies as a self-epublished author. Three of her self-epublished young adult paranormals appeared on the USA Today top 50 bestseller list.

On her blog, the epublishing trailblazer explained why she sought a deal with a traditional publisher.

“I want to be a writer. I do not want to spend 40 hours a week handling e-mails, formatting covers, finding editors, etc. Right now, being me is a full-time corporation.”

Self Publishing Sensation Close to Big Money Traditional Book Deal

The New York Times is reporting that self-epublishing sensation Amanda Hocking appears close to a six-figure traditional publishing deal.

Agent Steve Axelrod is said to be shopping a four-book deal to publishers. The bids are "well over $1 million for world English rights," according to two unnamed publishing sources who spoke with the paper. Publishers Weekly reports that the series is new and has never been published.

Hocking, 26, caused a stir in the industry in February, when three of her self-epublished young adult paranormals appeared on the USA Today bestseller list. All three were in the top 50.

According to USA Today, Hocking sold more than 450,000 copies of her nine titles in January alone.

On her blog, Hocking says her eight self-epublished books sell for between $.99 and $1.99 - and that she's sold 900,000 copies of her books since April 2010.

E-book Sales Soar, Beating Hardcover, Mass Market Paperback

Remember all of those e-readers folks got for Christmas? It appears the  people who received Kindles and other electronic reading devices got right down to using them. According to the American Association of Publishers, ebook sales spiked to an all-time high of almost $70 million in January.

The big news here is that more consumers bought ebooks in January than mass market paperbacks ($39 million) or hardcovers ($49 million). Trade paperbacks fell off 19 percent in January, but still outpaced ebooks, bringing in $83.6 million.

All in all, ebooks accounted for 23.5 percent of all trade book sales for the month. In December, ebooks brought in $49.5 million - about eight percent of all trade sales.

Read the full article from here.

Librarians Launch Boycott in Battle Over Ebooks

It looks like everyone is still trying to figure out this whole ebooks thing. According to USA Today, the latest battle pits librarians against a respected publisher.

HarperCollins is limiting the circulation of library ebooks to 26 loans. After that, it's digital midnight and the book vanishes. In order to continuing carrying the title, the libraries must lease the same title again for a fee. Facing their own budget constraints, some outraged librarians have decided to boycott HarperCollins. They're using blogs, Twitter and other social media to get the word out.

Libraries generally lend ebooks out at a time like they do with tree-books. Some major publishers, like Simon & Schuster and Macmillan, don't sell e-books to libraries.

According to the USA Today article, it's just the latest dispute brought on by the explosion of ebooks. Publishers have gone up against online retailer Amazon over prices and publishers are wrangling with agents and authors over royalties and rights.

HarperCollins addressed the issue in on open letter to librarians. On its Library Love Fest blog, the publisher invites libraries to continue the discussion.

"We have serious concerns that our previous e-book policy, selling e-books to libraries in perpetuity, if left unchanged, would undermine the emerging e-book eco-system, hurt the growing e-book channel, place additional pressure on physical bookstores, and in the end lead to a decrease in book sales and royalties paid to authors. We are looking to balance the mission and needs of libraries and their patrons with those of authors and booksellers, so that the library channel can thrive alongside the growing e-book retail channel."

Avon Launches New Digital Imprint

Hoping to cash in on the huge number of romance readers who buy ebooks, Avon Books is launching a new imprint devoted solely to digital publishing. Avon Impulse will feature e-books and print-to-order novels and novellas by existing Avon authors while also looking for new talent for the e-book marketplace.

“Romance readers have been among the first to embrace books digitally,” says Liate Stehlik, senior vice president and publisher of Avon Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. “Their passion has encouraged us to introduce a line of romance e-books, which empowers Avon to publish more quickly, with an eye to what’s trending in fiction.” 

The new imprint will publish several titles each month, and plans to eventually release new content on a weekly basis. According to the Avon press release, the books will still be acquired by Avon editors, and will benefit from targeted marketing and publicity plans, as well as powerful sales platforms.

“What sets Avon Impulse apart,” says Stehlik, “is that authors are signing to work alongside the Avon team, and will benefit from the same platforms that Avon authors have always enjoyed.”

Being free from traditional printing constraints will allow Avon Impulse to edit, market and release the e-books more quickly.  

 “The Avon Impulse imprint also allows us greater flexibility in the length of books we can publish – from novella to full-length fiction, and enables us to explore new themes in romance,” says Carrie Feron, vice president and editorial director at Avon.

“There is so much opportunity right now within the romance genre,” Stehlik says. “Readers have found a rich array of fresh content using digital and e-reading devices."

Avon Impulse is currently in the acquisition and production process for e-books to be published in 2011 and 2012.  “We are actively looking to acquire for Avon Impulse,” says Feron.  Authors looking to submit to Avon Impulse can find guidelines and an online submission portal at www.avonromance.com/impulse.

“We are looking for quality submissions across every romance subgenre,” says Feron.

Beyond Bookstores

Publishers are getting creative about finding new outlets to sell books - saying that national bookstores have peaked as a sales channel.

According to a recent New York Times article, a diverse range of stores better known for their clothes, food and other items have been adding books. "Anthropologie has increased the number of titles it carries to 125, up from 25 in 2003. Coldwater Creek, Lowe’s, Bass Pro Shops and even Cracker Barrel are adding new books."

Some of the big box stores are also making changes. The NYT reports that Target is stocking fewer male-oriented best sellers while increasing women’s and children’s titles. I find this interesting since my local Target already has a pretty good supply of romances. I look forward to having even more to choose from. So many talented authors never get a place on the shelf at the mass retailers- maybe more will be included now.

According to the NYT, Kitson - a string of boutiques that draws celebrity shoppers - sold 100,000 books in 2010, double what it had the previous year. Kitson's owner tells the NYT that publishers have turned aggressive about selling to Kitson as traditional bookstores switched focus or closed.

Borders filed for bankruptcy protection in February while announcing the closing of many of its stores across the country. Barnes and Noble is devoting more floor space to games and toys.

I love this trend of spreading books around. As far as I'm concerned, the more the better. After picking up that perfect jacket or pair of jeans, I'll be more than happy to throw a book into the shopping bag as well. Considering the price of clothes, a book will seem like an even better deal!   

Self-Pubbed YA Author Hits Bestseller List

Self-epublished authors continue to make a name for themselves by showing up on the bestseller lists. Lower price points could be helping them along. I know I'm more likely to try a new author if her ebooks sell for under $3.

For the week ending Feb. 6, 2011, three of self-epublished sensation Amanda Hocking's young adult paranormals appeared on the USA Today bestseller list.  All three were in the top 50. (According to Publishers Weekly, the New York Times ebooks bestseller list excludes self-published ebooks.)

According to USA Today, Hocking sold more than 450,000 copies of her nine titles in January alone.

Hocking, 26, lives in Austin, Minnesota. On her website, she reports her trilogy has been optioned for a film. She is represented by agent Steve Axelrod.

Hocking's blog also says that her eight self-epublished books sell for between $.99 and $1.99 - and that she's sold 900,000 copies of her books (including a novella) since April 2010.

Latest Issue of RT Book Reviews Features Final Round of Writing With the Stars

The April issue of RT Book Reviews features the final round of Kensington/RT's Writing with the Stars contest. I am one of three finalists vying for the top prize - a book contract from Kensington Brava.

For those of you who haven't been following, this all began back in July when I entered my full manuscript, Seducing Charlotte, into the competition. Initially I was reluctant to enter because Brava is Kensington's more sensual line and I thought Charlotte was more suited to the Zebra imprint. But my husband convinced me to enter - and boy am I glad I did!  A month later, I got a phone call from Kensington Associate Editor Megan Records informing me that I was one of 10 finalists in the national competition.

Now after four months and as many rounds of competition, we are in the final drive to the finish. In this last round, the Best Love Scene is judged.

I am so excited to have reached the final round - and to be THIS close to my dream of publication. 
I hope you will take a moment to CHECK IT OUT BY CLICKING HERE. Please consider voting for Seducing Charlotte - a Regency romance set against the backdrop of the Industrial Revolution. Voting is super quick and easy. No registration required. Just click on the link, scroll down and vote!

But be forewarned, it is a little spicy! Voting continues until this Sunday, Feb. 27. The winner of Writing with the Stars will be announced at the 2011 RT Booklovers Convention on April 7 in Los Angeles.

Thanks for taking the time. I really appreciate it!

Self-Published Novel Sneaks Onto NYT eBook Bestseller List

Even though the New York Times indicated it would not count self-published books on its new ebook bestseller lists, one has made it to the top.

Not surprisingly, it's a book that costs just 99 cents, which might have a lot to do with the high sales. I admit I'm often persuaded to buy an ebook that looks interesting at that price point. Nancy Johnson's Her Last Letter is Number 31 on the "also selling" list of fiction ebooks.

Publishers Weekly quotes Johnson as saying, "After I wrote my first novel, I was able to find a great New York literary agent, and I was thrilled. At the time, I thought I had it made. But though several big publishers took interest, nothing came of it, and my book never sold.... In the end, I formed my own publishing company. It was the best thing I could have done."

Check out the list here: NYT list. All this goes to show that, while ebooks are making a mark on the publishing industry, no one knows which box to put them in or how they will surprise us next!

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.

Making it to the Finals!

Valentine's Day is off to a great start for me. 

RT Book Reviews announced today that I am one of three finalists to advance to the final round of Kensington/RT's Writing With the Stars contest. This is such a big deal because the person to gets the most votes in the online poll wins a book contract!

I'm SO excited to be this close to my dream of publication.

I hope you'll take a minute to CLICK HERE and consider voting for my entry, Seducing Charlotte, a Regency romance set against the backdrop of the dawning Industrial Revolution.

WRITING WITH THE STARS

CLICK HERE TO VOTE NOW!!

Thank you for your time!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy early Valentine's Day!

Here's an interesting little news bit. Remember Barbara Cartland? If you're like me, she was your first introduction to romance. Well, she's back! 

The estate of Barbara Cartland, in partnership with M-Y Ebooks, will release a portion of her backlist starting on Valentine's Day. 10 books will be available for sale then with 160 titles to be released overall. 

According to barbaracartland.com, the prolific author left behind 160 unpublished manuscripts when she died. They've since been published and are referred to as The Pink Collection.

Kindle Books Get Page Numbers - Finally!

I don't know about you but one thing that drives me crazy about Kindle books is the lack of page numbers. Where am I in the book? How many pages do I have left?

Well, now I'll know - because Amazon is giving in to readers' wishes to add real page numbers to their ebooks.

They write, "Our customers have told us they want real page numbers that match the page numbers in print books so they can easily reference and cite passages, and read alongside others in a book club or class. Rather than add page numbers that don't correspond to print books, which is how page numbers have been added to e-books in the past, we're adding real page numbers that correspond directly to a book's print edition."

Kindle is also making some other changes. They are going to make it easier to sell an author's other works at the end of Kindle ebooks.

"We will now offer a seamless experience that lets you immediately rate the book, share a message about the book with your social network, get personalized recommendations for what to read next, and see more books by the same author."

Another good move. Now I don't have to go all the way back into the Kindle store and type in the author's name to find the next book in the series. It'll be right there at my fingertips.

Easy is always good!

Kindle Lending Club

Now here's an interesting idea - a sort of library for Kindle books.

A small company called Kindle Lending Club is connecting people who are willing to lend e-books to strangers who want to borrow them.

The five-person start-up was founded by a 40-year-old Canadian mother of three. She began with  a Facebook page which proved so popular, that she hired two web developers to expand her idea into a bonafide business. So far, the Kindle Lending Club is said to have facilitated the lending of more than 1,000 books among strangers.

Amazon announced its own Kindle lending program late last year but that seems to facilitate e-book lending only among friends, not on a potentially global scale like the Kindle Lending Club.

I would never want authors to lose out on their just profits. But an e-book library seems like a natural progression. We have libraries for tree-books, why not e-books? If anything, I buy more books from authors whose work I first discovered at the library.

It will be fascinating to see how this concept  progresses.

The Heir: A Regency Delight

In her debut effort, The Heir, author Grace Burrowes showcases a mastery of Regency dialogue that had me sighing with pleasure.

Gayle Windham is heir to the Duke of Moreland, who is obsessed with seeing his son married off. To escape the pressure, Windham decides to spend the summer in London, where his new housekeeper immediately draws his interest.

 Anna Seaton is a gently bred lady with a secret past and the two are soon drawn to each. The result is a lovely romance, which is both tender and starkly sensual. The backdrop is sultry London but that doesn't compare to the heat between this couple.

Burrowes' characters are unique and fully realized - especially Windham. Her descriptive writing engulfs you in London's overwhelming heat and I could almost taste the cold, sweet lemonade our hero is so fond of.

This read is well worth the time and Burrowes has just jumped to my must-read list.

Next up for Burrowes is The Soldier.

I'll be marching right out to pick it up...or to download it onto my Kindle.

However, Burrowes' covers are SO gorgeous I might just want to buy the tree-book simply for the pleasure of gazing at it.


By the way...

IT'S DOWN TO THE WIRE IN RT/KENSINGTON BRAVA'S WRITING WITH THE STARS CONTEST.

MY ENTRY, SEDUCING CHARLOTTE, IS ONE OF FOUR REMAINING FINALISTS IN THE ONLINE VOTING COMPETITION. THE PERSON WHO WINS THE MOST VOTES RECEIVES A BOOK CONTRACT.

PLEASE CONSIDER TAKING A MOMENT TO CHECK IT OUT BEFORE VOTING ENDS TOMORROW, SUNDAY JAN. 30.  I SURE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR VOTE! 

CLICK HERE NOW TO VOTE

    

Kindle Books Outsell Paperbacks

Amazon reports it's now selling more Kindle e-books than paperbacks. The online retailer says that milestone came sooner than its executives had expected.

According to Amazon, it sold 115 Kindle books for every 100 paperback books since the start of the year.

Does this signal the death of "real" books?

Nope. Because even though Kindle books are going gangbusters, it turns out that paperback and hardcover sales are still rising over at Amazon as well.

BY THE WAY...this is the LAST weekend to vote in Kensington Brava's Writing with the Stars contest. I'm one of four remaining finalists in the online voting competition. I'd really appreciate it if you'd pop over and give it a look. I sure would appreciate your vote!

New Issue of RT Features Round 4 of Writing with the Stars Contest

The latest round of voting in Kensington/RT's Writing with the Stars  contest is featured in the current issue of RT Book Reviews.

I am so excited to be one of FOUR remaining finalists for my manuscript, Seducing Charlotte, a Regency romance set against the backdrop of the dawning Industrial Revolution. The entry which garners the most online votes will receive a book contract. 

Round Four is for the Best Secondary Character. Here is my entry:

SECONDARY CHARACTER: His was a masculine face etched in hard lines. Not particularly handsome, the duke possessed sharp-cut features which hinted of menace. He wore his black hair long, tying it fastidiously back at the nape of his neck. Though terribly out of fashion, the style somehow seemed to suit him, even as it emphasized the unforgiving angles of his profile. Everything about Hartwell, from the magnificent way he carried himself to his impeccable grooming, suggested a man of consequence. He managed to exude an air of command and abundance of charisma by simply walking across the room. Willa obviously adored him, but Charlotte felt distinctly uneasy in his presence.

MENTOR MARY WINE COMMENTS: This really grabbed my attention. There were only a few adjustments here because after reading this description I found a picture of this man in my imagination and I so want to know if Willa can knock him out of his polished shoes.

JUDGE’S TAKE:  I can totally picture Hartwell here. I am guessing that he is generally a “good” character despite that hint of menace in his features. Actually, that hint of menace is one of the things that makes him interesting, instead of coming across like stock-titled man No. 4. Hartwell has a hero’s air about him in this description — he isn’t without flaw but the flaws you describe are ones that readers generally accept with their protagonists. It makes me wonder if he is being groomed to be the hero of another book. Even if he is, don’t be afraid to throw an elbow with a more wildly swinging character trait or two. You might be able to make this character 10 times juicier if you toss in a new angle … like this is his first appearance in society after being released from prison two days earlier. You don’t want your secondary characters to steal the story from your protagonists of course, but it is food for thought. 

I hope you'll consider voting for my entry. 

CLICK HERE TO VOTE NOW

Thank you! 

Nora Roberts Joins the Million Kindle Club

Nora Roberts

Amazon announced last week that Nora Roberts has sold more than one million Kindle books to become only the third member of the "Kindle Million Club."

Roberts has sold 1,170,539 Kindle books under her name and her pseudonym, J.D. Robb. The Kindle Million Club recognizes authors whose books have sold over 1 million paid copies in the Kindle Store. 

Other members of the elite club include the late Stieg Larsson, author of the Millennium Trilogy, (The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest) who was the first author to hit the million mark. James Patterson  was the second author to join the Kindle Million Club.

Roberts was the first author to be inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. The New Yorker recently called her "America's favorite novelist."

And don't forget...

Voting continues in the Writing with the Stars contest.

I am one of FOUR remaining finalists in Kensington/RT's contest. The person who wins the most online votes is awarded a book contract. Please take a moment to check it out HERE.

I'd appreciate your vote!  

Writing With the Stars: Round 4 Begins!

I have some incredibly exciting news to share!

RT Book Reviews announced today that my manuscript, Seducing Charlotte, has made it to the fourth round of Kensington/RT's Writing with the Stars contest. I am now one of four finalists left in the competition. That's just one round away from the final and a possible book deal. The person who receives the most online votes wins a book contract from Kensington.

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO VOTED. I COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOUR INCREDIBLE SUPPORT! 

Voting is now under way for Round 4: Best Secondary Character. Here is my entry:

SECONDARY CHARACTER: His was a masculine face etched in hard lines. Not particularly handsome, the duke possessed sharp-cut features which hinted of menace. He wore his black hair long, tying it fastidiously back at the nape of his neck. Though terribly out of fashion, the style somehow seemed to suit him, even as it emphasized the unforgiving angles of his profile. Everything about Hartwell, from the magnificent way he carried himself to his impeccable grooming, suggested a man of consequence. He managed to exude an air of command and abundance of charisma by simply walking across the room. Willa obviously adored him, but Charlotte felt distinctly uneasy in his presence.

MENTOR MARY WINE COMMENTS: This really grabbed my attention. There were only a few adjustments here because after reading this description I found a picture of this man in my imagination and I so want to know if Willa can knock him out of his polished shoes.

JUDGE’S TAKE:  I can totally picture Hartwell here. I am guessing that he is generally a “good” character despite that hint of menace in his features. Actually, that hint of menace is one of the things that makes him interesting, instead of coming across like stock-titled man No. 4. Hartwell has a hero’s air about him in this description — he isn’t without flaw but the flaws you describe are ones that readers generally accept with their protagonists. It makes me wonder if he is being groomed to be the hero of another book. Even if he is, don’t be afraid to throw an elbow with a more wildly swinging character trait or two. You might be able to make this character 10 times juicier if you toss in a new angle … like this is his first appearance in society after being released from prison two days earlier. You don’t want your secondary characters to steal the story from your protagonists of course, but it is food for thought.

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO VOTE.

CLICK HERE NOW.

Barnes & Noble's Book Bonanza

I'm glad to see it's too early to write an obituary for tree-books and the retailers that carry them.
 
Barnes & Noble reports it had a terrific holiday season and that sales of physical books - especially hardcovers - exceeded its expectations. Sales were up more than eight percent at the retailer's bookstores.

B&N.com is also experiencing tremendous gains. Total sales at B&N.com rose 67 percent during the nine-week holiday period that ended on Jan. 1.

The company says it sold “virtually its entire inventory of Nookcolor and E-Ink devices during the holiday season.”  December 23 was the biggest sales day in the company’s history, according to Barnes & Noble.

I, for one, am very glad to hear it. No matter how much I enjoy my Kindle, there's still nothing like the lazy pleasure of drifting into a bookstore, never knowing exactly what I'm going to discover.

I hope these latest sales figures mean my days of wandering into bookstores are far from over.

Getting Frozen Out By My Kindle

I hate to say it, but my new Kindle has been letting me down lately. In the last week, it has frozen three times. Yep. It just sits there and won't respond. Sometimes I'm treated to a blank page, on other occasions the screen saver stares back at me. This is especially frustrating when I am at a good point in the book and the darn page won't turn.

I googled the problem and it seems as though I am not the only reader who has been frozen out by my Kindle. One of Amazon's suggestions is to plug it into its charger for a moment. That won't do me much good when I am on the bus with a frozen Kindle - looking forward to an hour's ride home with nothing to read.

Other advice is to depress the <ALT>, <Shift>, and <R> at the same time. This worked great the first time, although the second two times it took several minutes for the Kindle to reboot. There's also a hard restart that involves removing the back cover and pushing the restart button.

Reading has always been one of life's simple pleasures. I love being transported into another world. But it's hard to leave reality behind when you are constantly wondering whether you'll be able to turn the page. That latent anxiety takes some of the magic out of reading.

And it's not as though Kindles and e-books are inexpensive.

Sure, I still love my Kindle. It's still a cool way to read. But I have to say tree-books never let me down this way.

A Belated Christmas Pleasure

I'm a little behind on my holiday reading so I just finished up Cathy Maxwell's His Christmas Pleasure.

For those who follow Maxwell's books, this is Andres' story. You might remember him as Gillian's rejected suitor in The Earl Claims His Wife.

When her father threatens to marry Abigail Montross off to a twice-widowed man with with thirteen children, she decides to elope instead  - with the seductive but penniless Baron de Vasconia. They strike a deal, he marries her for her money while she escapes the old guy and his baker's dozen.

In Abigail, Maxwell has created an outspoken, down-to-earth heroine readers can identify with - especially after the man she loves rejects her in favor of a more advantageous match with her cousin. And beneath that confident and beguiling exterior, we discover the real Andres - a man fighting to overcome insecurities stemming from his illegitimacy and a somewhat shady past.    

The set up - from the couple's initial encounter to their growing attraction and decision to marry - is engaging and nicely paced. However, once the couple arrives at their dilapidated marital home, it feels like someone pushes the fast-forward button.

The couple, now unexpectedly penniless, must build their relationship while enduring hardship as they create their life together. I expected some meatier scenes as all of this played out. Instead, it passes in a quick blur.

Still, His Christmas Pleasure remains a worthwhile read. Maxwell has an accessible, comfortable writing style and her books make me feel as if I'm settling in with an old friend who can always be counted on.

I just wanted more of a good thing. And His Christmas Pleasure is a good thing.

Happy 2011!

Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2011 is a positive and fruitful year for you.

When it comes to writing, 2010 was an amazing year for me. One of the top highlights was finalling in BRAVA/RT's Writing with the Stars contest. Kensington editors Alicia Condon and Megan Records selected the 10 finalists for the online voting contest. To have an editor at a publishing house select my work out of all the entries was great validation.

The contest is ongoing. Today, Sunday, Jan. 2, is the last day to vote in Round 3. I hope you'll take a moment to check it out and will consider voting for my entry, Seducing Charlotte, a historical romance set against the backdrop of the Industrial Revolution. 



Me with Madeline Hunter at the NJ PYHIAB conference 

 I also attended my first writers' conference in 2010. Seducing Charlotte placed first in the New Jersey Romance Writers Put Your Heart in a Book contest.

I was thrilled that one of my favorite authors, Madeline Hunter, was among the judges. I met Ms. Hunter at the conference and she was lovely - amazingly generous. I ran into her in the lobby and she spent a good 45 minutes discussing my writing with me. I learned so much about plot, conflict and layering from both our discussion and the workshop she presented at the conference. As a result of that discussion, I've gone back and started revamping the first manuscript I ever wrote, Compromising Willa, which placed 2nd in the PYHIAB contest. It's already a much better manuscript.

If you're an aspiring writer, I strongly suggest you try to make it to one of the chapter conferences. They are well worth it.     


I got this saucy apple green cover with my Kindle.


I also became a Kindle-ista in 2010. I received a Kindle for my birthday and never looked back. I wavered on whether I wanted the e-reader - it made me feel a little unfaithful to traditional books. But now I enjoy both e-books and tree books. I still haven't discovered how to lend an e-book to a friend but I hope to figure it out in 2011.   

I actually launched this blog in 2010 - as a result of the Writing with the Stars contest. It's been a lot of fun. I've tried to provide interesting information about publishing, the romance industry and just reading in general.

I plan to continue blogging away into 2011. Happy New Year and I hope you'll be back to visit often!