They Like Me, They Really Like Me!

Sorry, channeling Sally Field there for a moment...

What I SHOULD have said is, "They really like The Wild Sight!"

I received two more wonderful reviews this week! The first from Kimberly Swan at Darque Reviews, who said: "With the magical lore of Ireland as a backdrop, The Wild Sight takes readers on a journey that unravels mysteries of the past and paves the way for a blossoming romance. Along with a strong touch of the paranormal, Ms. McGary shares a suspenseful tale that mounts to a surprising climax and resolves the many questions that arise along the way. This intriguing story is well-paced, the characters are likeable, and the romance is bursting with passion."

To read the full review, click on the title of this blog post. Or try: http://darquereviews.blogspot.com

The second great review is from Terra at Yankee Romance Reviewers, where I will do a guest interview on Sept. 25th (and give away a copy of the book). Terra had this, and a lot of other complimentary things to say about The Wild Sight: "...a story rich in history, Irish lingo, scary settings and fantastically imaginative other worldly characters that all interact with our hero and heroine with such ease that it's like putting on a pair of soft comfy slippers. A romance with punch. A cozy mystery that will make you think twice about going out in the dark. A storyline that will most certainly entertain you from the first page to the last and have you sputtering Irish words long after the book ends."

WOW! Check out the entire review under the August 29th entry here: http://yankeeromancereviewers.blogspot.com/

I'm so incredibly honored that these reviewers read and loved my book, and most importantly took the time to post such positive, thoughtful reviews! This is truly a dream come true!

Publisher's Weekly

Monday afternoon, I received my second review and it is A BIGGIE! THE "Bible" of the publishing world, Publisher's Weekly magazine gave The Wild Sight a starred review!

It doesn't get any better than this!

PW doesn't give a set number of stars, they reserve them for books they found particularly outstanding. I can't even tell you how THRILLED I am that they bestowed this honor on The Wild Sight!

Here are some great things PW said in their review:
"...brings elements of the supernatural into this smashing romantic suspense novel."

And "...McGary never shortchanges the sizzling romance... as she weaves in ancient legend and recent murders, building to a dramatic, memorable conclusion."

To read the entire review, just click on the title of this post for the link to take you there.

Four Questions

Haven't had a meme in awhile, mostly because nobody has sent me one. Well, my pal PiowaPuff cured that up yesterday when she sent me the following "Four" questions:

A) Four places that I go to over and over:

The bathroom... Okay, TMI!

The central California coast, namely San Luis Obispo. I went to college in that area, and my son currently lives there (just got back from a visit as a matter of fact). I would move there in a second if only I could afford it.

I go to Trader Joe's every chance I get. Yes, it's a grocery store but they have some of the coolest stuff (mostly chocolate).

The book store... ANY book store. I can't walk by one without going inside. There's just something about the sight and smell (Ever notice that new books have their own particular smell? Not quite "new car smell" but pretty darn good nonetheless.) of all those wonderful books.

The Mexican Riviera (aka the West Coast of Mexico). I love cruising from Cabo to Acapulco and all points in between. No matter how many times I cruise this particular geographic stretch, I'm always ready to go again.

B) Four of my favorite places to eat:

Just about any Italian place. I LURVE pasta! I LURVE pizza! I LURVE just about anything Italian (except tiramisu, because I do NOT love anything with a coffee flavor).

There's a local (California based) fast food place called Rubio's that has great burritos. The DH and I go there almost every weekend.

Any cruise ship dining room. Cruise food is THE BEST! If you are going to blow a diet of any kind, a cruise ship is the perfect place to do it.

Okay, I'll admit it, McDonald's because I LURVE their french fries. I'm sure McD's fries should be on an illegal controlled substance list of some kind, but thank goodness they are not!

C) Four places I would rather be right now:

Some place nice and cool. At the moment I'm not picky. If it is 70 degrees Farenheit or under, I'm THERE!

Hawaii. I know, I know, it's not particularly cool there, but it is so beautiful and relaxing, especially Maui...

New Zealand, because I've never been there and I'd LURVE to see all those spectacular landscapes from the Lord of the Rings movies up close and in person. Besides, it's winter there right now and most likely nice and cool...

In bed with this certain tall, lanky hunk... And no, I wouldn't want it to be cool there either!

D) Four TV shows I watch over and over.
This is a tough one for me since I don't watch much TV and really none that I'd watch over and over. Four shows I do like are:

Globetrekker -- great travel ideas

Rome, which I watched on DVD after it was canceled! ACK!

The Tudors. I watched this one on DVD recently also, and though it isn't terribly historically accurate, it was a ton o fun! Plus Johnny Rhys Meyers is so YUMMY!

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson because he's such a mischievious lil devil with the cutest accent!

Now it's YOUR TURN to play! Give me four answers to one or more of these quesitons.

My First Review

Remember waaaay back at the end of May when My Publicist told me she was ready to send out ARCs of The Wild Sight? I know, I know, it feels like another lifetime ago, even though technically it's only been 10 weeks. Well, HAPPY DAY! Yesterday, I learned that my first review has arrived! I'm so excited to take this significant step down my long road to publication.

Yes, it is a happy day because this was a positive review! What a gratifying feeling to know that a total stranger read my story and "got" it.

Yes, I was SCARED SPITLESS (just like when I received the file of my cover) when I opened the email! And once again, I held my breath while I read it. Thank goodness it was both short and sweet. The review will appear in the August issue of Booklist magazine. This is the trade publication of the American Library Association, which is very exciting! Librarians read tons of books and I've always had a mountain of respect for them.

If anyone can get a copy of the magazine (or even just the page with my review) and send it to me, there will be a chocolate reward for you!

I won't copy the entire review here, since that probably isn't legal and certainly not ethical, but I will quote the gist of it:
"Northern Ireland's violent past combined with supernatural elements add an intriguing twist to this modern love story."

Gimme Five! Things About RWA National

Another RWA National Conference has come and gone, and as far as I'm concerned this one was THE BEST EVER! I had a wonderful time, met many many wonderful people, and had some unforgettable experiences. Off the top of my head, here are five:

1. Meeting My Editor, My Publicist, and My Publisher face-to-face. And yes, when I met My Publisher, I had my Aunty Cindy riding crop in my hand (color me embarrassed)! Fortunately, once I'd met the fabulous Dominique Raccah and saw how friendly she is and the great sense of humor she possesses, I had NO WORRIES!
2. Having people I did not know congratulate me when they saw my First Sale ribbon. It felt sooo great to be able to smile and say, "Thank you!"
3. Hooting and hollering for my Banditas and friends at various award ceremonies and events, and having them return the favor for ME.
4. Riding in a stretch limo. This was courtesy of my aforementioned publisher (told ya she was fabulous!) who took all her authors to dinner and rented three limos to get us there and back.
5. Just being in the same space with so many great authors who totally "get it" about romance writing! Nothing sustains a writer more than getting to interact with other people who "get it."

And here's a lil piccie of moi and 15 of my closest friends!