Re-reads include:
Showing posts with label romantic suspence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label romantic suspence. Show all posts
Saturday, June 25, 2011
A Few Good Books...
A couple of this month's good reads include some I've reread. There's nothing like going back to your keeper shelf and pulling out a book you really enjoyed and relive that experience again.
Re-reads include:
Re-reads include:
Saturday, May 28, 2011
A Few More Good Books...
I really like recommending a good book or two to read, so without further ado, here a some I've read and enjoyed lately. They've also made my "keeper" shelf.
Care to share what's on your "keeper" shelf?
Care to share what's on your "keeper" shelf?
Saturday, April 23, 2011
A Few Good Books...
Today is World Book & Copyright Day so it seems appropriate to feature a few good books.
Nothing satisfies me more than recommending some of the ones I've read and thoroughly enjoyed. Some of these are old favourites I've re-read and some of them are new authors or new releases by favourite authors.
The Firefighters of Station Five series (by Jo Davis) - Ever had a firefighter fantasy? These five books are hot and the romantic suspense elements to each burn up the pages, too. Well worth a read.
Reading order - TRIAL BY FIRE, UNDER FIRE, HIDDEN FIRE, LINE OF FIRE, RIDE THE FIRE.
MORNING COMES SOFTLY (by Debbie Macomber) - I've read this book at least a dozen times. It's the story of a bachelor rancher-turned-father and how he writes a personal ad looking for a wife before the Dept.of Community Service takes away his niece & nephews.
Think modern mail-order bride where rancher meets city librarian but one that tugs on your heart and brings tears to your eyes.
RAPTURE UNTAMED (by Pamela Palmer) - the 4th in the Feral Warriors paranormal romance series. I loved and hated how the hero, Jag, blackmailed the heroine, Olivia.
Both of them are tormented characters well suited to one another and their personal conflict for dominance over one another was wildly sensual.
NOWHERE MAN (by Rebecca York) - one of the few category romances on my bookshelf. A gripping mystery involving a psychologist brought in to help a covert soldier with no memory but with secrets that could get them both killed.
THE BID (by Jax) - male slave, female mistress-shapeshifter, inter-planetary politics and romance. Phew! SF erotic romance at its best.
I hope you've found a new book or two to enjoy from this list.
Happy reading!
Nothing satisfies me more than recommending some of the ones I've read and thoroughly enjoyed. Some of these are old favourites I've re-read and some of them are new authors or new releases by favourite authors.
 |
| Ladies man & defense attorney |
 |
| Golden-boy & beautiful nurse |
The Firefighters of Station Five series (by Jo Davis) - Ever had a firefighter fantasy? These five books are hot and the romantic suspense elements to each burn up the pages, too. Well worth a read.
Reading order - TRIAL BY FIRE, UNDER FIRE, HIDDEN FIRE, LINE OF FIRE, RIDE THE FIRE.
 |
| Die-hard bachelor & school teacher |
 |
| Virgin geek & exotic dancer |
 |
| Fire captain & female fire-fighter |
MORNING COMES SOFTLY (by Debbie Macomber) - I've read this book at least a dozen times. It's the story of a bachelor rancher-turned-father and how he writes a personal ad looking for a wife before the Dept.of Community Service takes away his niece & nephews.Think modern mail-order bride where rancher meets city librarian but one that tugs on your heart and brings tears to your eyes.
Both of them are tormented characters well suited to one another and their personal conflict for dominance over one another was wildly sensual.
I hope you've found a new book or two to enjoy from this list.
Happy reading!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Who's That Girl? Interview - Gracie O'Neil
Let's zip across the Tasman Sea to New Zealand today to meet one of RWNZ's Heart to Heart magazine editors, high concept pitch goddess, one half of a website design team, good friend and conference roommate...
Name? Hi, I’m Gracie O’Neil.
Where are you? I live in the central North Island of New Zealand.
How many years have you been a member of RWNZ? I joined RWNZ in 2004, so it’s a little while now. (Gracie was the first RWNZ'er I met at my first RWNZ conference! and we've been friends ever since)
What genre/s do you write? I write both paranormal romantic suspense and romantic suspense.
Who are your favourite authors? There are so many, but the ones on my bedside table at the moment are Karen Rose, J. D. Robb, Terry Pratchett, Robin Owens, and Karina Bliss.
What inspired you to write romance? I never thought of writing romance. I thought of writing a story. If it happened to contain romance—and every good story did, didn’t it?--then that was a part of the deal. It wasn’t until I had contact with RWNZ that I learned there were elements required for and nuances to a good romance, and by incorporating those things into any genre I could make every story I wrote stronger.
Who's your dream agent and/or dream publisher? I’m lucky enough to have my dream agent—Nephele Tempest at The Knight Agency. Dream publisher? That’s a hard one, but I think either Berkley or St Martin’s Press. (It was sooo exciting to phone Gracie last year to share the good news with her that I was now not only her conference roomie but an agency-buddy as well - we're both represented by TKA
What's the best thing about going to conference? Learning something new, confirming where I’m headed, and meeting up in person with the girls I correspond with every day via our BILD (Book in 50 Days) loop. Oh, and sharing a room with you, of course, Kylie!! :-) (Not a lot of sleep happens during conference...so much talking and catching up to do!!!)
And lastly, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer...is dialogue.
A sexy hero needs...dark hair. Sorry all you blond guys. In my personal universe every sexy man has dark hair.
My latest WIP (work in progress) is about...an ex-CIA operative who is hiding her new career on the gray edge of the law, and who becomes the target of an assassin’s vendetta when her current job goes bad. Now her life--and heart--lie in the hands of a man who has already betrayed her once. Can she trust him to help her expose the past when he has more secrets to hide than she does?
When I write I like to...use a timer to keep me on track. Nose down, tail up for fifteen minutes at a time.
My best writing milestone to date is...probably...well, again, that’s difficult too. Finishing the first, second, and third books. Getting my dream agent. Finaling and winning in competitions. But there’s no point in looking back at past milestones. For me, the best writing milestone is always the next one, which in my case would be a sale. (Oh yeah. Please, let there be a sale!!)
Gracie, it's been great having you here, thanks for answering my questions. If you'd like to check out Gracie's website, feel free.
She also has a fant-abulous writing website called Romance She Wrote, with lots of helpful tips on the craft of writing.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Who's that girl? Interview - Jess Anastasi
Another southerner graces us with her presence today - no, not from the USA, but from one of the southern states of Australia!
Name? Jess Anastasi.Where are you? Central Victoria, Australia.
How many years have you been a member of RWOz? Around 7? I think. I can't actually remember which year I joined, LOL.
What genre/s do you write? The question is, what genre haven't I tried to write?
I started out wanting to be a regency author, then I moved onto paranormal romance, then tried my hand at romantic suspense, then had another go at paranormal and finally ended up writing sci-fi romance, kind of.
Who are your favourite authors? Suznanne Brockmann, easily my fav. I used to like Sherrilyn Kenyon, but her Dark-Hunter/Dream-Hunter/Were-Hunter series just confused me in the end, so I gave up after I read ACHERON.
I LOVE Linnea Sinclair, she is brilliant. Also, JR Ward's Blackdagger Brotherhood series is awesome...I could go on, but we'd end up here all day.
What inspired you to write romance? The first romance I ever read was one by Judy Garwood, HONOR'S SPLENDOR. I already had some idea I wanted to be a writer, but after I started reading romances, I knew it was what I had to do. I just loved the exploring the developing relationships and complexities of people in love.
Who's your dream agent and/or dream publisher? Jessica Faust (from BookEnds LLC) is my number one dream agent, I've been stalking (ahem, I mean following at an entirely sane distance) her for years, but no luck yet.
In my top ten I also have Kristen Nelson or Sara Megibow (of the Nelson Literary Agency), or Laura Bradford (from the Bradford Literary Agency), and have recently added Suzi Townsend at Fineprint Lit.
I'm not fussy, I'LL TAKE ANYONE! No, I'm not that desperate. I really would like to have an agent though (hear that, agent-gods, I'm praying really hard here!). As for a dream publisher, I'm not as specific. I'd just like to have something contracted with one of the major publishing houses.
What's the best thing about going to conference? I don't know, I haven't made one yet! I fully plan to get to Melbourne 2011, though. I imagine there are lots of great, fun things about going to a conference. No kids. No husband. Cocktails...what? Oh, you mean in terms of writing. Well, I'm sure the workshops and stuff are good...
And lastly, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer is...ergh, really? Um, OK, I'll say I don't really do a first 'rough' draft. I tend to edit heavily as I go, because I hate the idea of facing an entire manuscript worth of editing all at once. So I like to get it as close to polished while I'm writing it, so it only needs basic adjustments at the end.
A sexy hero needs...to be totally ripped, intelligent and caring at heart, but tough on the outside. And maybe be in possession of a really big gun...now you're asking yourself which way I intended that 'big gun' bit, aren't you? I'll leave it up to your imagination!
My latest WIP (work in progress) is about...SEVERANCE, the second book in the Sanctuary series, Alastor and Nakita's story.
When I write I like to...EAT! Seriously, every time I sit down at the computer, I get a major case of the munchies. In fact, I'm eating while I write this. I don't know how I don't weigh like 100kg.
My best writing milestone to date is...getting published! Easily best. No, maybe getting my first book cover was. I don't know, it's all pretty good really!
Jess, it's been great having you here!
Thanks, Kylie.
SEVERANCE (Book 2 in the Sanctuary series) is available on February 14th, 2011 from Noble Romance Publishing.
A year later, Nakita is still searching for her friend, but finds trouble instead. And the only thing worse than the possibility of getting killed by a fanatical jerk? A familiar green-eyed demon turning up just in time to save her.
Alastor is back with news that the contract they agreed to is still intact and until he can find a way to break it, he is compelled to protect her.
The last thing Nakita wants to do is go anywhere with the demon who has a history of screwing her over. Not only that, but when he looks at her with that emerald gaze, intense enough to burn, she feels something she shouldn't for the gorgeous demon.
With the demon monarchy in chaos and enemies all over the universe, they are forced to rely on each other while unraveling the mystery of two sacred relics, and the contract that still binds them.
But, by the time Alastor and Nakita find a way to sever their deal, the idea of being apart may no longer be what either of them wants.
For a sneak peak at an excerpt from SEVERANCE click here.
Jess's other books:
Click here to read the blurb and excerpt for DEAD REALITY.
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| Book 1 (Sanctuary series) |
Click here to read the blurb and excerpt for SANCTUARY (Book 1 in the Sanctuary series).
Saturday, January 22, 2011
INDUSTRY: Book Review Sites
Welcome to the world of book review sites...take your pick!
(I've taken out the blogs I've already listed in previous posts)
#Author's Note: By no means is this a comprehensive list, just a list I've found in my travels on the internet.
(I've taken out the blogs I've already listed in previous posts)
- Affaire De Coeur
- A Romance Review
- Babbling About Books, And More
- Book Crazy Scrapbook Mama
- Barnes & Noble Review
- Booklist (American Library Association)
- Bookpage
- Coffee Time Romance
- Dear Author
- Dirty Sexy Books
- Enduring Romance
- Fresh Fiction
- Got Erotic Romance
- Heart to Heart:The BN Romance Blog
- Impressions of a Reader…on romance & more!
- Lurv A La Mode
- Library Journal
- Love Romance Passion
- Mixed Book Bag
- Mrs. Giggles
- Romance: B(u)y The Book
- Romance Junkies
- Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
- The Book Smugglers
- The Good, The Bad, and The Unread
#Author's Note: By no means is this a comprehensive list, just a list I've found in my travels on the internet.
Monday, January 10, 2011
GUEST AUTHOR: Barbara Binns
Today, my guest author is fellow Unsinkable, 2010 Golden Heart® finalist, Barbara Binns. Welcome to my blog!
Tell us, who is B.A.Binns?
B. A. Binns, that's the name I use for my YA novels, although my plans are to distinguish my adult novels (when I finally launch them) by using my given name. Since I'm concentrating on one genre at a time, B. A. works for now.
From what part of America do you hail?
I'm a Chicago area girl, born and raised. I went away to college at UW Madison and Michigan State in E. Lansing, then lived and for a brief time in Virginia and Washington D. C. before returning. Of course, every year this time I wonder why I'm not in Florida or southern California.
How many years have you been a member of the Romance Writers of America®?
I joined RWA in 2007. And now I'm a member of several chapters, including Chicago North, WisRWA, YA RWA, The Golden Network and Rose City Romance Writers. I am also pleased to be part of the Unsinkables, the 2010 Golden Heart® finalists. (As you can tell, I'm a joiner)
What genre/s do you write?
YA Romance and Romantic Suspense.
Who are your favorite authors?
The problem with a question like this is I inevitably miss someone I absolutely adore. Lisa Kleypas, Sharon Draper, Tanita Davis, Simone Elkeles, Anne Golon, and the list goes on.
What inspired you to write romance?
I liked reading romance, and stories about people falling in love kept going through my head. There was this one about a former prostitute and a killer that wouldn't leave me, and while I know that's not the usual romance couple I couldn't shake them so I ended up writing them. That became my 2010 Golden Heart® finalist novel, and whether it ever finds a place on the bookshelves or not, I know it's one of the best things I've ever written.
I got into writing YA because I began reading YA, and the stories are compelling, vibrant, risk-taking, and keep pulling me back. Today's YA is so much more than what it was when I was young, and publishers are willing to take risks with subjects that are edgy, different and sometimes pretty much verboten in adult books. I write YA because the edginess appeals to me, and I have the opportunity to hear from young readers about how my words reflect and sometimes impact their lives. I love those emails.
I guess I write romance and YA for the same reasons I read them, they give hope. And youth is both a stressful time and the time in life when people feel the most passion about things. All that makes for enjoyable writing.
Can you tell us a little bit about your book, PULL, and its characters?
PULL is a YA romance between two high school students, David and Yolanda. Each has suffered loss and each has developed the kind of strength the other one needs. It’s also a coming of age story where both of them have to make choices that will forever alter their futures.
In the beginning David believes his only goal is to fulfill his dead mother’s last wishes because he feels guilty about not saving her life. But there’s a deeper truth he hides even from himself--the fear that he is just like his father, the man who murdered the woman he supposedly loved. The stresses that descend on David as he struggles to protect his sisters and deal with his guilt only increases a natural feeling of resentment that leaves him fearing he should abandon his sisters to protect them from himself.
Everything is seen and experienced from David’s point of view and I hope male readers will see something of themselves in him. I hope girls will see the potential in him and in the young men in their lives and see Yolanda as a role model whenever they start feeling they are nothing without a guy.
One last PS - In English classes I used to hate when teachers talked about THEME. Now I realize I have a deep theme of my own. I write about relationships and people being more than just the sum of their parts. PULL's t heme is our relationship with our parents, and whether we owe them a debt that includes giving up our own dreams for them.
You can check out Barbara's trailer for PULL here.
And here's the blurb:
Seventeen-year-old David can’t escape from a past that includes his mother’s murder at the hands of his father. When he departs the elite Grogan Hills Academy and enters a new school on Chicago’s south side, he’s prepared to give up sports, friends, and his desire for independence to care for his orphaned sisters.
His quest for anonymity is shattered when he’s obliged to rescue one sister from an attack by members of the school’s elite pack led by Yolanda, “The Dare,” the acknowledged school slut. David is prepared for the school psychologist’s attempt to force him out of the shell he’s drawn around himself. But he’s not prepared for the way guilt makes him lash out at the people he loves, forcing him to confront the fear that he’ll follow in his father’s destructive footsteps. Nor is he prepared for his growing attraction to Yolanda, a girl hiding a secret shame more destructive than his own.
Do you have a dream agent and/or dream publisher?
My dream agent happens to be MY agent, Andrea Somberg from the Harvey Klinger, Inc. agency. Not just because she loved PULL, and I don't use the word love lightly, but because of the way she worked overtime to find my publisher, WestSide Books, all in a matter of months from the time she first read the manuscript. You can't beat that enthusiasm. And she gives great career advice too.
Dream publisher, again, right now I have to go with my publisher. How could WestSide not be my dream when they believe enough to put my guy's face on the cover of the hardback book they worked overtime to get published in under a year? I do not write aiming at a specific publishing house. I wrote my story and then went out looking for people who shared that love and were willing to publish my vision. Not that WestSide Books didn't edit things carefully, and I spent many nights working on their changes, but they loved the overall vision. I won't think about the so-called dream publisher until after my books are finished because I write the books of my heart. Hopefully I'll be able to stay with people who are of like minds.
What's the best thing about going to conference?
All the different people I get to meet. My first conference I tried to attend every possible session and just wore myself out. Now I go for the purpose of meeting people. Anything else is gravy.
And lastly, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer is...that I know how to pull a story apart and revise and edit it nearly to death before resurrecting a phoenix that's all the better for that near-death experience. I'm really not a great writer, my first drafts make me cringe. But I'm a darn good fixer, so once my page is no longer blank I roll up my sleeves and figure out how to fix those darn scenes, make the pace zing and whip the characters into shape.
A sexy hero needs...to really care about other people. Not just the woman he's falling for, but other people as well, and be willing to reach outside his comfort zone to help them. That's how the heroine knows he will always be there for her. My hero in PULL even tries to help people he doesn't like. And, as one of PULL's reader said, "you can tell a guy's a keeper by the way he treats his mother and sisters." That's as important a part of being a hero as a six-pack (which he has) and good looks (which he also has in abundance). I made my David to be a keeper, and frankly, I'm jealous of his girlfriend.
My latest WIP (work in progress) is about...this really sexy con-man (ex con man, he wants to go straight in spite of the urges he still feels when he sees an easy mark), and a very brash high school psychologist who can't believe she's even attracted to a guy like him when the wealthy scion of a business magnate - and her brother's business partner - wants to marry her. Then her brother's secretary turns up dead and all signs point to our con man. But she can't make herself believe he's guilty, not even when someone begins stalking her.
When I write I like to...relax in bed and let the thoughts flow. I'm a late-night writer, so a good cup of hot chocolate and good music is what I need to get words pumping.
My best writing milestone to date is...having one of my novels final in the 2010 Golden Heart® contest. Really it was gathering up the guts to send my manuscript into the Golden Heart® last year. That was a huge act for me, because I didn't believe anyone but its mother would ever love it.
For anyone wanting to know more about Barbara, she'd love to hear from you. You can find her contact details on her website, her Facebook page, and you can follow her on Twitter (barbarabinns).
Barbara, thank you so much for visiting today. It's been a pleasure having you here!
Tell us, who is B.A.Binns?B. A. Binns, that's the name I use for my YA novels, although my plans are to distinguish my adult novels (when I finally launch them) by using my given name. Since I'm concentrating on one genre at a time, B. A. works for now.
From what part of America do you hail?
I'm a Chicago area girl, born and raised. I went away to college at UW Madison and Michigan State in E. Lansing, then lived and for a brief time in Virginia and Washington D. C. before returning. Of course, every year this time I wonder why I'm not in Florida or southern California.
How many years have you been a member of the Romance Writers of America®?
I joined RWA in 2007. And now I'm a member of several chapters, including Chicago North, WisRWA, YA RWA, The Golden Network and Rose City Romance Writers. I am also pleased to be part of the Unsinkables, the 2010 Golden Heart® finalists. (As you can tell, I'm a joiner)
What genre/s do you write?
YA Romance and Romantic Suspense.
Who are your favorite authors?
The problem with a question like this is I inevitably miss someone I absolutely adore. Lisa Kleypas, Sharon Draper, Tanita Davis, Simone Elkeles, Anne Golon, and the list goes on.
What inspired you to write romance?
I liked reading romance, and stories about people falling in love kept going through my head. There was this one about a former prostitute and a killer that wouldn't leave me, and while I know that's not the usual romance couple I couldn't shake them so I ended up writing them. That became my 2010 Golden Heart® finalist novel, and whether it ever finds a place on the bookshelves or not, I know it's one of the best things I've ever written.
I got into writing YA because I began reading YA, and the stories are compelling, vibrant, risk-taking, and keep pulling me back. Today's YA is so much more than what it was when I was young, and publishers are willing to take risks with subjects that are edgy, different and sometimes pretty much verboten in adult books. I write YA because the edginess appeals to me, and I have the opportunity to hear from young readers about how my words reflect and sometimes impact their lives. I love those emails.
I guess I write romance and YA for the same reasons I read them, they give hope. And youth is both a stressful time and the time in life when people feel the most passion about things. All that makes for enjoyable writing.
Can you tell us a little bit about your book, PULL, and its characters?
PULL is a YA romance between two high school students, David and Yolanda. Each has suffered loss and each has developed the kind of strength the other one needs. It’s also a coming of age story where both of them have to make choices that will forever alter their futures.
In the beginning David believes his only goal is to fulfill his dead mother’s last wishes because he feels guilty about not saving her life. But there’s a deeper truth he hides even from himself--the fear that he is just like his father, the man who murdered the woman he supposedly loved. The stresses that descend on David as he struggles to protect his sisters and deal with his guilt only increases a natural feeling of resentment that leaves him fearing he should abandon his sisters to protect them from himself.
Everything is seen and experienced from David’s point of view and I hope male readers will see something of themselves in him. I hope girls will see the potential in him and in the young men in their lives and see Yolanda as a role model whenever they start feeling they are nothing without a guy.
One last PS - In English classes I used to hate when teachers talked about THEME. Now I realize I have a deep theme of my own. I write about relationships and people being more than just the sum of their parts. PULL's t heme is our relationship with our parents, and whether we owe them a debt that includes giving up our own dreams for them.
You can check out Barbara's trailer for PULL here.
And here's the blurb:
Seventeen-year-old David can’t escape from a past that includes his mother’s murder at the hands of his father. When he departs the elite Grogan Hills Academy and enters a new school on Chicago’s south side, he’s prepared to give up sports, friends, and his desire for independence to care for his orphaned sisters.His quest for anonymity is shattered when he’s obliged to rescue one sister from an attack by members of the school’s elite pack led by Yolanda, “The Dare,” the acknowledged school slut. David is prepared for the school psychologist’s attempt to force him out of the shell he’s drawn around himself. But he’s not prepared for the way guilt makes him lash out at the people he loves, forcing him to confront the fear that he’ll follow in his father’s destructive footsteps. Nor is he prepared for his growing attraction to Yolanda, a girl hiding a secret shame more destructive than his own.
Do you have a dream agent and/or dream publisher?
My dream agent happens to be MY agent, Andrea Somberg from the Harvey Klinger, Inc. agency. Not just because she loved PULL, and I don't use the word love lightly, but because of the way she worked overtime to find my publisher, WestSide Books, all in a matter of months from the time she first read the manuscript. You can't beat that enthusiasm. And she gives great career advice too.
Dream publisher, again, right now I have to go with my publisher. How could WestSide not be my dream when they believe enough to put my guy's face on the cover of the hardback book they worked overtime to get published in under a year? I do not write aiming at a specific publishing house. I wrote my story and then went out looking for people who shared that love and were willing to publish my vision. Not that WestSide Books didn't edit things carefully, and I spent many nights working on their changes, but they loved the overall vision. I won't think about the so-called dream publisher until after my books are finished because I write the books of my heart. Hopefully I'll be able to stay with people who are of like minds.
What's the best thing about going to conference?
All the different people I get to meet. My first conference I tried to attend every possible session and just wore myself out. Now I go for the purpose of meeting people. Anything else is gravy.
And lastly, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer is...that I know how to pull a story apart and revise and edit it nearly to death before resurrecting a phoenix that's all the better for that near-death experience. I'm really not a great writer, my first drafts make me cringe. But I'm a darn good fixer, so once my page is no longer blank I roll up my sleeves and figure out how to fix those darn scenes, make the pace zing and whip the characters into shape.
A sexy hero needs...to really care about other people. Not just the woman he's falling for, but other people as well, and be willing to reach outside his comfort zone to help them. That's how the heroine knows he will always be there for her. My hero in PULL even tries to help people he doesn't like. And, as one of PULL's reader said, "you can tell a guy's a keeper by the way he treats his mother and sisters." That's as important a part of being a hero as a six-pack (which he has) and good looks (which he also has in abundance). I made my David to be a keeper, and frankly, I'm jealous of his girlfriend.
My latest WIP (work in progress) is about...this really sexy con-man (ex con man, he wants to go straight in spite of the urges he still feels when he sees an easy mark), and a very brash high school psychologist who can't believe she's even attracted to a guy like him when the wealthy scion of a business magnate - and her brother's business partner - wants to marry her. Then her brother's secretary turns up dead and all signs point to our con man. But she can't make herself believe he's guilty, not even when someone begins stalking her.
When I write I like to...relax in bed and let the thoughts flow. I'm a late-night writer, so a good cup of hot chocolate and good music is what I need to get words pumping.
My best writing milestone to date is...having one of my novels final in the 2010 Golden Heart® contest. Really it was gathering up the guts to send my manuscript into the Golden Heart® last year. That was a huge act for me, because I didn't believe anyone but its mother would ever love it.
For anyone wanting to know more about Barbara, she'd love to hear from you. You can find her contact details on her website, her Facebook page, and you can follow her on Twitter (barbarabinns).
Barbara, thank you so much for visiting today. It's been a pleasure having you here!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Winner of .38 Caliber Cover-Up give-away
Many thanks, Angi, for generously donating an electronic ARC of .38 CALIBER COVER-UP.
I've thrown everyone's name into a my coffee cup (if you answered Angi's question) and drawn a winner.
The copy of .38 CALIBER COVER-UP goes to:
Congraulations, Janni!
If you could get in touch with me - kyliegriffin (at) clearmail (dot) com (dot) au - I'll put you in contact with Angi.
I've thrown everyone's name into a my coffee cup (if you answered Angi's question) and drawn a winner.
The copy of .38 CALIBER COVER-UP goes to:
Janni Nell
Congraulations, Janni!
If you could get in touch with me - kyliegriffin (at) clearmail (dot) com (dot) au - I'll put you in contact with Angi.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
A Few Good Books
My To Be Read pile seems to never end. I get a few from the top of the pile finished, add them to my keeper shelf (or not), turn around and the pile seems to have grown again. Sigh.
But why should I be complaining? I mean, really, what's better than having a few good books sitting on the shelf waiting to be read?
And, here's a smattering of the titles I have waiting for me should I feel the need for adventure!
Have you read a keeper lately? What was it?
I'm always on the look out for a new author or book to add to that ever-growing pile! :-)
But why should I be complaining? I mean, really, what's better than having a few good books sitting on the shelf waiting to be read?
And, here's a smattering of the titles I have waiting for me should I feel the need for adventure!
Have you read a keeper lately? What was it?
I'm always on the look out for a new author or book to add to that ever-growing pile! :-)
Thursday, December 2, 2010
INDUSTRY: Romance Rocks!
What continues to astound me is the market and selling power of romance fiction. To many non-romance readers some of these facts might astound and even surprise you. Let me quote some facts from the article for you.
- Book sales increased slightly to $10.274 billion in 2009 as compared to $10.223 billion in 2008 (and this is despite the struggling economy)
- Romance fiction sales in 2009 were $1.36 billion as compared to $1.37 billion in 2008
Let's break it down further to genres of fiction in 2009. (Source: Simba Information)
- Romance fiction: $1.360 billion
- Religion/inspirational: $770 million
- Mystery: $674 million
- Science Fiction/Fantasy: $554 million
- Classic Literary Fiction: $462 million
Romance fiction outstrips any other genre with the largest share of the consumer market at 13.2%. That's all good for romance writers, eh?And now, let's check out the Romance Subgenres published in 2009 (of the romance releases tracked by RWA® in 2009).
- Contemporary (series) 22.83%
- Contemporary 18.55%
- Paranormal 17.16%
- Historical 15.66%
- Romantic Suspense 9.45%
- Inspirational 7.56%
- Romantic Suspense (series) 4.28%
- Young Adult 2.28%
- Other (erotic & chick lit) 2.21%
The top 10 romance imprints on the best-sellers lists in 2009 were:
- Mira
- Berkley
- Avon
- Little Brown
- Dell
- Grand Central
- HQN
- Ballantine
- Zebra
These figures all indicate continued good news for romance writers. It seems the appeal of a good love story, no matter the sub-genre, is a great form of entertainment and is valued by a huge readership market.Romance rocks!
Reference material and statistics taken from:
* RWR magazine (November 2010, Vol.30 No.11) published by the Romance Writers of America® - The Voice of Romance Fiction
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Helene Young: BORDER WATCH winner!
Thank you to everyone who left comments and told Helene about their favourite Aussie place to visit and why - there were some wonderful places mentioned and a couple I wouldn't mind adding to my holiday itinerary!Without further ado, the winner of Helene's debut novel, BORDER WATCH, is...
Kerry Scott with her comment on Alice Springs!
Congratulations, Kerry! If you could contact me on kyliegriffin at clearmail dot com dot au then we can make arrangements to send BORDER WATCH to you!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Write What You Know
How many times have I heard that saying bandied around? Lots. Heaps. Oodles.
Well, this particular saying certainly applies to the guest author visiting my blog on Tuesday, 2nd February. Debut Aussie author, Helene Young, is dropping by to chat about her exciting career as the captain of a Dash-8 for Qantaslink and her first release BORDER WATCH, published by Hachette Australia.
Living in sunny, tropical Cairns with her husband, she writes gripping romantic suspense. Strangely enough (grin*) her heroine and hero are a border security pilot and customs agent involved in keeping our shores safe from international threats.
Helene's also giving away a copy of her debut book. So, in the interest of broadening her horizons tell her about your favourite place in Australia and why she should visit it! Comments close 3pm, Sunday 7th Feb. The lucky person will be announced on my blog by Tuesday, 9th Feb.
Mark the dates everyone and good luck!!! You won't be disappointed!
Living in sunny, tropical Cairns with her husband, she writes gripping romantic suspense. Strangely enough (grin*) her heroine and hero are a border security pilot and customs agent involved in keeping our shores safe from international threats.
Helene's also giving away a copy of her debut book. So, in the interest of broadening her horizons tell her about your favourite place in Australia and why she should visit it! Comments close 3pm, Sunday 7th Feb. The lucky person will be announced on my blog by Tuesday, 9th Feb.
Mark the dates everyone and good luck!!! You won't be disappointed!
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