A lovely email arrived in my inbox this morning from the Australian Romance Readers Association announcing the finalists for their book awards for 2012.
ALLIANCE FORGED is a finalist in Favourite Sci Fi, Fantasy or Futuristic Romance section! I'm thrilled to pieces and proud to be among such talented company.
Thank you to the readers who nominated this book - I really appreciate it! And a special thank you to the ARRA Inc. volunteers who've given of their time to organise and hold this event!
A special congrats and shout out to my writing buddy Bec McMaster for her incredible 5 nominations for KISS OF STEEL!!!
If you'd like to see the complete lists for all the categories, click here.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
INDUSTRY: Interview with...Riverina Romantics
I thought it might be of interest to showcase some of the great book bloggers and bookstores that specialise and help promote the romance genre.
I've been lucky enough to be interviewed, hosted or promoted at many of these places and found it intriguing to interview them about their passion and love of books and authors.
Please welcome my first guest - Jodie from Riverina Romantics...
Book Blog: Riverina Romantics - A blog dedicated to lovers of sexy and seductive romances. We read. We review. We have a good laugh.
Web address: www.riverinaromantics.blogspot.com
Review preferences: We are different from other review sites. We don't take a lot of review requests. We read the stories we want and review them if we love them. I started the site to help promote authors in a positive light and won't publish reviews less than three stars.
What inspired you to begin your blog? I started reading when my first son was born. Since then my addiction to romance grew. I began writing reviews on Goodreads and I still remember the sensation I got when someone 'liked' my review, (Yeah, I need to get a life). The next step was to start a blog. I love interacting with readers and authors and discussing the books I love.
Do you have a favorite part of the job? The freebies are nice. The blog actually costs us money to run. Sometimes we pay for the giveaways, then there's the swag and postage. So getting to read free review copies is a great bonus.
What hazards come with the territory? Because we don't post low scored reviews we don't really have a lot of hazards, although the blog does take up a LOT of time.
Replying to emails, scheduling posts, organising reviews, chatting with publishers and authors - it's all a great big time suck. But well worth it. I've made some great connections and met a lot of really inspirational people (online, of course).
Top 10 books:
These are in no particular order:
Things that make you go "Ahhh" in a book? When the emotional connection between two characters is so palpable that you get shivers.
Most memorable author interview? I love interviewing Cindy Gerard - for the simple reason that she is my favorite author. She is such a sweet person and a great inspiration. Interviewing her was the highlight to my blogger life.
You can also follow Riverina Romantics on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter!
I've been lucky enough to be interviewed, hosted or promoted at many of these places and found it intriguing to interview them about their passion and love of books and authors.
Please welcome my first guest - Jodie from Riverina Romantics...
Book Blog: Riverina Romantics - A blog dedicated to lovers of sexy and seductive romances. We read. We review. We have a good laugh.
Web address: www.riverinaromantics.blogspot.com
Review preferences: We are different from other review sites. We don't take a lot of review requests. We read the stories we want and review them if we love them. I started the site to help promote authors in a positive light and won't publish reviews less than three stars.
What inspired you to begin your blog? I started reading when my first son was born. Since then my addiction to romance grew. I began writing reviews on Goodreads and I still remember the sensation I got when someone 'liked' my review, (Yeah, I need to get a life). The next step was to start a blog. I love interacting with readers and authors and discussing the books I love.Do you have a favorite part of the job? The freebies are nice. The blog actually costs us money to run. Sometimes we pay for the giveaways, then there's the swag and postage. So getting to read free review copies is a great bonus.
What hazards come with the territory? Because we don't post low scored reviews we don't really have a lot of hazards, although the blog does take up a LOT of time.
Replying to emails, scheduling posts, organising reviews, chatting with publishers and authors - it's all a great big time suck. But well worth it. I've made some great connections and met a lot of really inspirational people (online, of course).
Top 10 books:
These are in no particular order:
- Anything by Cindy Gerard
- Hot Head by Damon Suede
- Defiant by Pamela Clare
- Dreams of a Dark Warrior by Pamela Clare
- The Darkest Pleasure by Gena Showalter
- Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
- Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward
- A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole
- Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James
- Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning
Things that make you go "Ahhh" in a book? When the emotional connection between two characters is so palpable that you get shivers.
Most memorable author interview? I love interviewing Cindy Gerard - for the simple reason that she is my favorite author. She is such a sweet person and a great inspiration. Interviewing her was the highlight to my blogger life.
You can also follow Riverina Romantics on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter!
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Monday, December 31, 2012
Happy New Year!!! (almost)
Looking back over the last twelve months so much has happened, in my personal life and in the world.
PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS (most notable)
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| My niece |
- became an aunty
- published 2 books with Berkley
- ventured into the arena of public speaking as an author
- decided to teach part-time
WORLD EVENTS (mostly focusing on the positive events)
- Major elections in Egypt, Greece, China, Libya, Israel, Venezuela, France, Russia, Mexico, USA
- Walt Disney purchases Lucasfilm Ltd and its rights for Star Wars and Indiana Jones for $4.05 billion
- Russia became a member of the World Trade Organisation
- Kate Middleton pregnancy news announced
- Chinese scientists break world record by transferring photons over 97 kilometers using quantum teleportation
- Queen's Diamond Jubilee (60 years as the monarch of England)
- London Olympics (where female athletes from Saudi Arabia allowed to compete for the first time & Oscar Pistorius becomes first amputee to compete in the olympics)
- Facebook went public
- Transit of Venus
- Voyager 1 spacecraft, launched in 1977, reaches the end of our solar system and enters interstellar space
- Australian court rules Azaria Chamberlain was killed by a dingo
- Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor disaster
- Mayan prediction of "end of the world/spiritual transformation"
- Economic turmoil/GFC continues for most countries
- Hurricane Sandy hits the USA, the Bahamas, Cuba & Haiti
Here's to a wonderful and notable 2013!
What were your achievements or most memorable events for 2012?
* The 2013 New Year image comes from 123RF (a royalty free stock photo website).
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Merry Christmas!
To those who celebrate Christmas - have a great day with your friends and family!
Two gifts for you all!
*Yoda Christmas picture from Grammarly.com Facebook page.
Geseënde Kersfees
Milad Majid Selamat Hari Natal Sheng Dan Kuai Le Glædelig Jul
Cestit Bozic i Sretna Nova godina
Zalig Kerstfeast Merry Christmas Hyvaa joulua
Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Joyeux Noel
Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!
Fröhliche Weihnachten Kala Christouyenna!
Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Buone Feste Natalizie Selamat Hari Natal
Nollaig Shona Dhuit
Shinnen omedeto Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Meri Kirihimete
Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
Maligayang Pasko! Sarbatori vesele
La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Nollaig Chridheil dhuibh
Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
Z Rizdvom Khrystovym
Feliz Navidad Nadolig Llawen
God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År
Sawadee Pee Mai or souksan wan Christmas
Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Chuc Mung Giang Sinh
*Yoda Christmas picture from Grammarly.com Facebook page.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
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