Garwood recs needed

OK, I'm ready to take the plunge. I'm one of the few people (in the world?) who hasn't read Garwood. I need some recs on where to start. I know she's written in a multitude of time periods, right? I should say that medieval isn't my favorite, so if she has anything in that time period, it would likely be further down on my list. And I hear her contemps aren't as good as the historicals, and historical is one of my favorite genres anyway. Soooo....

Help a girl out. Where do I start?

Calling All Romance Bloggers, Authors, Editors, Publishers, Readers, Web Designers…

For those of you who don't know, Sharon Cullars is in serious financial trouble. Our community is so wonderful, everyone always jumps in to help out when one of us is down.

From KarenS's blog:

First of all, I'd like to say a massive thanks to everybody who donated to Sharon Cullars' Chip In fundraiser. In just over a week, you guys raised $1200. That’s f*cking awesome. You guys rock all kinds of wonderful.

Unfortunately, we're a little off the target that Sharon needs to help her stay in her home, so some of Sharon's friends are organising an E-bay Auction to help raise the rest of the funds required.

With this in mind, we need freebies from bloggers, authors, editors, publishers, web designers, so if you have items to donate - books or book baskets/collections, critiques, ARCs of upcoming releases, review spreads, mentoring opportunities, web or promotional material design work etc., please email the item description to Roslyn Holcombe at roslynholcomb @ mac.com (no spaces).

You guys have been amazing so far, and I [Karen] think it would be fabulous if we could do something this important for one of our own.

If any of you still want to donate to the Chip In Fund, you can do so here. All donations will be gratefully received.

Or simply click on the Chip In Icon below.


Once again, please feel free to copy and paste, and post this info onto your respective blogs, the more people know about this, the more successful we'll be, I'm sure.

Thanks again for the wonderful effort so far.

For Sharon’s story, please click here.

Sad Author News...

I was so sad to hear via DA that Suzanne Simmons/Elizabeth Guest passed away yesterday. She wrote some of my favorite contemporaries, always with a wonderful sense of humor and joy in her novels, and with wonderful heroes and funny heroines that I love so much.

She was a regular contributor on Running With Quills, and you can post over there if you like...

From ebooks to NY

How many of you ever stop to think "I knew so and so author" when they were just starting out? Or "so and so author" that I know and love may be the next Nora Roberts. As I watched Lauren Dane’s VBlog yesterday about making it onto the B&N and the Border bestseller lists with Undercover (congrats, BTW), I started thinking about how many of the authors that I’ve read faithfully over these years at the e-publishers are making it up to NY and doing it successfully. And then which of them I think will have staying power.

Lauren Dane is one of those. Because even though Undercover is a futuristic erotic ménage romance, and who knows if and when that ship may run its course, she can write straight ahead contemporary too, and we all know that will never go away. I started thinking about what I’ve been reading, and who’s been making headlines around the blogosphere lately that really got their start in ebooks.

Of course we all know about Jaci Burton and Lora Leigh, but I was thinking of the lesser knowns, like Beth Kery, who seems to have a hit on her hands with Wicked Burn. Or Beth Williamson, who has her Brava debut coming with the rerelease of The Education of Madeline. Charline Teglia also comes to mind. Sarah McCarty, too. (Stupidass question – did Megan Hart start in ebooks?) And why the hell hasn’t someone snapped up NJ Walters for crying out loud? Hmmm?

Anyway, tell me, what authors have started out in ebooks that you love, and who do you think will still be here 20 years from now because they write not only what’s hot right now, but that has that something special that resonates with readers no matter their genre preference.

Gift of giving... for Jo Leigh

In this season of giving, what better thing to do than to give back to an author who has given so much joy to so many of us? Jo Leigh is an amazing author, and is also a tremendous woman. Every interaction I've had with her (via fan email) has been met graciously and immediately with humor and thanks for my support of her books.

Reading her story really touched me. For those of you who don't know, she recently lost her husband after a battle with cancer. Their story is one for the romance novels. You can read about it here. She now is left with overwhelming medical bills. A wonderfully generous group of authors has put together an auction to raise money to assist her. I've been following this story, and waiting for this auction. Now you can go and give back to this wonderful author who has given so much of her life to making us readers feel so good.

Please pass it on, and go bid!

Giveaway Goodness

While some of you fabulouso folks were at RT, I was home wallowing in terror at the possibility of getting laid off from my job, then the sheer joy at still having my job, then moving on to planning the bar mitzvah, and writing checks for the bar mitzvah (ouch!). I read all your wonderful posts, but hardly commented. So imagine my utter joy when I won not one, but two contests this last week... the fantabulous Pamela Clare sent me an autographed copy of Unlawful Contact, and the ever-so-awesome Beth Williamson sent me a bag of goodies from RT.

First things first, I don't know if you've heard, but Beth has just received a 3-book contract from none other than Kate Duffy at Kensington. Congratulations to Beth, and WOOT!!!

Now... being the dufus that I am, I forgot that I had Unlawful Contact on order at Amazon. So not only do I have a brand-spankin shiny new, personally autographed copy of it from the lovely, gracious Pamela Clare, but I have a brand-spankin new copy of it from Amazon. I really only need one copy. So.... just leave a comment for me and I will have Steve the Spaz draw a name from the commenters on Friday night, 10 pm pacific time to receive said copy. And did I mention, not only is Pamela Clare a fabulous author -- I love not only this series, and have you read Surrender? Loveloveloved it!!! --She is also a fellow CU Alum. Go Buffs!!!

Another New Release to Pimp

I'm way excited that Lucy Monroe has a new book coming out. Deal With This releases later this month. This seems to be the week for me to post book trailers... not quite as amusing as Julianne MacLean's, but then again, totally different genre. The excerpts I've read are great, like all Lucy's work. Can't wait for this one, Lucy Monroe is an author who never disappoints...

She's having a party all month long on her blog in anticipation of the release. Lots of great guest bloggers, and lots of fun topics.

Score! Lisa Kleypas' next novel.... and Squawker news

Finally, Lisa Kleypas has posted an excerpt from Mine Til Midnight - Cam Rohan's story, pub date Oct 2, 2007. WOOT! Cannot wait!!! I liked Sugar Daddy, but I really thought she re-established herself properly with Devil in Winter, and I'm so glad to have Mine Til Midnight to look forward to! But October is so far away :(

Also, for those of you who follow SquawkRadio, they are closing the blog down on June 2, ostensibly because they are devoting so much time to the blog, they are taking time away from their writing. They really established the "group author blog". I wonder if any of them will pop up on any other group blogs or start their own...

Did You All Know...

That Nalini Singh has a newsletter? You can subscribe to it here. You're gonna wanna because she's got a treat in there this month. And here is her blog where you can interact with her daily.

Have you read the story of Nora Roberts' first sale? No? Well, you can find it here. GREAT story.

Here's Allison Brennan's first sale story as well.

And Jordin Sparks from American Idol so totally rocks. Sigh. She sang "To Love Somebody" and "Woman In Love" from the Bee Gees(Barry Gibb, Barbara Streisand) and she was totally awesome. Absolutely. Love. Her.

Here's the first example of Ellora's Cave selling the subsidiary/print rights. I can't imagine Cheyenne McCray was too thrilled about how this all went down, though I don't have the inside scoop either.

Enjoy!

ADDITION: IT'S A MIRACLE!

I'm going to buy not one but TWO books from EC this week! A true miracle! Shiloh Walker has a contemporary out, One Night With You, and a book I've been waiting for is out by Robin L. Rotham, Alien Overnight. I saw that one on Sarah McCarty, NJ Walters, and Gail Faulkner's List Mom Day on the EC group back in December! Finally! Woot!

Calling All Marjorie M. Liu Fans...

FYI***The ever-talented Ms. Liu has an excerpt on her blog for Soul Song, her next book in the Dirk & Steele series, releasing in July.

Some People Just Need To Get A Life and ANNOUNCEMENT

Saw THIS over at Karen's Blog. *sigh*

I'm all confused. Not sure Sarah did anything to Ms. Vremont, nor Karen for that matter.

***ANNOUNCEMENT***

With permission, I'm going to publicly announce that my friend and FABULOUS AUTHOR, Sarah McCarty just sold FOUR more books, and these to Berkley... 2 books in her Promise series and 2 single-author anthologies. Woo hoo! Go Sarah! That's 10 books contracted with 2 more in the works. You go girl! We love ya!


That makes FOUR series:

1. Hell's Eight with SPICE(2 books, 1 in the works)
2. Shadow Wranglers with HQN(4 books, more in the works)
3. Promise series with Berkley(2 so far)
4. Dark Haven with Berkley(2 single-title anthologies)

Dazed and Confused... Updated

No, I'm not talking Zeppelin I'm talking the reasoning behind some of the comments on the AAR list. (I have YOU to thank for this whole feeling, you realize this don't you Karen? LOL)

Well, I head over there because Karen asks Sarah McCarty if any of the books in her Promises series had spanking and bondage in them because someone over on the AAR list started talking about Lora Leigh and how her books are, well, erotic. *gasp*

I am currently reading Dangerous Games by Lora Leigh. I believe that she also writes erotica. This book was in the romance section and had romance printed on the spine of the book so that is actually what I thought that I was getting. Also on the back of the book it said that it was a romantic suspense novel. So far, I am enjoying the story and she is a good writer. My only big problem with the book is the love scenes. I REALLY hate when the term "pussy" is used for vagina or "cock" for the male organ, which Ms. Leigh uses these terms and awful lot in this book. It just takes me out of the story and I feel that I am reading something that is not romantic and just down right dirty and X-rated. When the hero of the book starts thinking of her like that or that he can't wait to f*%k her it just turns me right off and I find that I just skip the pages of the love scene. I don't think I'm a prude but I think if an author is writing a love scene better words can be used than those words. Where is the romance when the guy is thinking in terms like that....it just does not work for me.

Um, hello? If this person had done any skimming of said book before purchasing it or even researching Ms. Leigh (hello? She wrote for Ellora's Cave for God's sake!) she'd have had a clue. I felt compelled to speak(big shock, right). Here's what I had to say:

The thing is, I'm finding more and more authors using cock, pussy, and even clit on a regular basis. It's a new trend toward more erotic romance. It's not fair to focus on Lora Leigh because even in Lori Foster's latest(Causing Havoc) she uses two of the three above words.

So, then they jump to who writes romantica/erotic romance with a nice balance of romance and sex. Some authors were mentioned who I believe have a nice balance, many of whom I've read and continue to read regularly. And then it happened, the incident that Karen was speaking of where a reader said this:

I agree that some erotica is not for me. I read the Sarah McCarty Promises trilogy that had a western theme which I love. I found the heroes "masculinity" soooo annoying. Also, I never thought I would say a book had too much sex in it. The anal sex, blow job sex, spanking sex, bondage sex was not really very romantic after awhile.

So, Karen asked, if there is spanking and bondage in the Promises series. The only spanking I personally can think of is in Promises Keep when Cougar gives Mara a slight smack to her pussy which can't be constituted as spanking in the way the reader was meaning. That's it. I don't remember any bondage. So, I say:

The only McCarty book that had bondage, spanking, and the like was Mac's Law which is one of her Unchained series, not Promises series... though there is anal sex in the Promises series.

And she responds:

No, He was a spanker in book two. You may be right about the tying up, though.

Ooookay then. So, my question to her is this:

All these comments, which I might add are negative, yet you read all THREE books in the series. If you've seen the Alpha attitude in one McCarty book and it annoyed you, why did you continue on... especially if you didn't like the sex themes either?

Now I'm waiting for her to answer, which I've no doubt she will, but honestly, if I read one book from an author that just rubs me wrong with characterization(in her case too dominant) then why read any more? AND obviously if she knows there's bondage and lots more spanking in the books, she's not only read the Promises series, she's also read Mac's Law... and knowing the books are from Ellora's Cave, honestly, what do these people expect?

So, my question is why? Why, why, why spend more money on books you say you don't like, unless you secretly do like them? Am I right? Is she saying she doesn't like them, but underneath she really does? Or is there something more going on here that I can't see? I don't know, honestly, which is why I'm asking all of you.

Any ideas?

***UPDATE***
She responded... here's what she said:

Well I never said I didn't love Alpha attitude. I LOVE Alpha attitude! What I said, after I referenced the author's books specifically, was that I found the hero's masculinity sooo annoying, and I said the sex was not very romantic after awhile. I guess from that you assumed I meant that I find all Alpha annoying.

I wanted to try erotica and Sarah McCarty was recommended here. I ordered Promises Linger which I thought was pretty good and I love western themes. So I ordered ebook versions of Promises Keep and Promise Prevail at the same time. The virgin trapped in the bordello sounded like a good plotline and it was except the sex kept getting in the way.

Promise Prevail was what ended my book buying of McCarty. The heroine was so abused by her previous husband and I felt the hero exploited that. Also I discovered Lisa Marie Price, who I think does erotica in a more romantic way.

Okay, first off Clint never exploited Jenna's vulnerability. Ever. He helped her get over it, to believe in herself again, to make her strong.

Second, the woman doesn't realize that Alpha heroes are the domineering type that take over, and in effect, where she refers to "masculinity" she's referring to Alpha, she just doesn't know it. And if she's into Lisa Marie Rice, maybe her preferences are more Beta, but don't you think she'd have gotten that from the first book? Or even the second? If so, then why even read the third?

My thoughts- She loves the whole package that Sarah delivers, but in placating her, I told her since she likes Lisa Marie Rice she may be more inclined to Shannon McKenna's heroes and I also let her know that Ms. McKenna writes for NY... let her figure out for herself that McKenna also uses cock, clit, and the like. LOL

Sarah McCarty's Valentine's Day Virtual Tea Party 02/14/07

BTW- Have you seen her new website? It's FABULOUS!

As posted on Sarah McCarty's Yahoo Group

My place starting 10 am Eastern on 02/14. :-) I'm throwing a virtual tea party to thank you for all your support. Tons of prizes including a gift certificates for ebookwise ebook readers (If you have one or live where one can't be shipped there's plan B) Amazon.com GCs and other prizes. It's just a fun day. As usual, all you have to do to have a chance to win is to post, (compensates for Yahoos vagaries) but I hope some of you can do more than post. Hope you can play. There will be Alpha hangman, Promises Trivia, A "How well do you know Sarah?" quiz fest, and together we shall attempt to create the sappiest love poem ever. Particular emphasis on the ever. A heads up, the opening line will be, How do I love thee, let me count the ways. And we're working on make your teeth ache sweet, your head spin corny lines so don't hold back. And yes, risque is fine, but porn is out. It's a tea party after all.

Sarah
www.sarahmccarty.net
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sarahmccarty/

So I say, be there or be square. Remember that saying? I'm showing my age again. LOL