Gimme 5... Things to Look Forward To

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Bring out the pinata, guacamole and margaritas! Nothing I like better than a little fiesta. And being in a party mood makes me think about good things to come. There are quite a few things happening in the next few months that I'm really looking forward to. Here are five of them:

1. The DH and I will celebrate 20 years together in a couple of weeks! Nope, never believed we'd make it this long. HA! So I'm really looking forward to a very special night out.
2. Writing "The End" on my work-in-progress. Seems like I've been in the deep dark writing cave working on this story FOREVER! (heavy sigh) And yes, I do love my characters and their trials and tribulations, but I'm ready for the light at the end of this tunnel. Of course, I am writing this book under contract so I MUST finish it by my deadline.
3. Attending the RWA National Conference in Washington DC. OH GOODIE! (rubs hands together with glee) The conference last year in San Francisco was so much fun! Thanks to my CP's hubby giving me a frequent flyer ticket, I WILL be attending the conference this year, and I am so looking forward to seeing all my Banditas and other writer friends. Plus, this year, for the first time, I get to participate in the Literacy signing event!
4. Seeing my second book on the shelf! YES!!! September 1st is the "official" release date for The Treasures of Venice and I'm almost as excited as I was last year when my very first book, The Wild Sight was released. I do plan to have another launch party and will be doing another blog tour and giving away lots of free copies of the book. Can't wait!
5. Spending my birthday on a cruise to Acapulco. One of my best birthdays ever was a few years ago, when the DH booked us a cruise to Acapulco and the dining room staff made a fuss over me on my birthday. Well, my DH has done it again! Last week, he booked another cruise to Acapulco and my birthday will happen right in the middle of it.

What are you looking forward to in the next few months?

Brenda Novak's Auction

ONE WEEK FROM TODAY May 1st will be the start of Brenda Novak's fifth annual online auction for diabetes research!

Brenda has raised over half a million dollars in her previous four auctions, and she truly offers something for everyone. (click on the title of this post to go to the auction home page)

I'm thrilled to be able to support this very worthy cause! I have donated an autographed copy of The Wild Sight and an autographed ARC of The Treasures of Venice. That's right, you don't have to wait until September to read my second release! You just need to submit the winning bid.

The Romance Bandits have also donated a huge basket of goodies--books, promo items, chocolate and gift cards--and I'm including an autographed copy of The Wild Sight in that too.

Also, for aspiring writers, I have donated a critique of a first chapter and synopsis (up to 30 pages total) of your manuscript.

The auction runs the entire month of May so I hope you will check it out.

26 Pieces of Useless Trivia... About ME!

Still time to join my newsletter Yahoo Group (see the sidebar) and be in the drawing for one of three $10 gift certificates from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!

Haven't done a Meme in awhile, so here's one compliments of my friend Piowa Puff.

What time did you get up this morning 

Probably around nine. That's what time I usually get up. Being 'retired' is truly grand!

Diamonds or pearls? 

BOTH of course! Though actually, I think pearls are classier.

What was the last film you saw at the cinema? 

Australia and Hugh Jackman's chest filled that
wide screen wonderfully!

What is your favorite TV show? 

Used to be "Lost" but it's now so stupid
I only watch for shots of Sawyer's dimples. 

Favorite sandwich? 

Just about any with avocado on it

If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation,
where would you go? 

New Zealand or the Pyramids in Egypt

Favorite brand of clothing? 

Don't really pay attention to brands except for shoes.
I like Clark's and New Balance.

Where would you retire to? 

Right here where I am! But if I win the Lotto,
LOOK OUT Tahiti!

What was your most recent memorable birthday?

About 3 years ago on a cruise ship going to Acapulco.

Favorite sport to watch? 

In person -- auto racing. Love the rumble of those engines!
On TV, probably football, but only for the huddles...

Are you a morning person or a night person? 

Morning?!?! What is that???

What did you want to be when you were little? 

Owner of a horse ranch  

What is your favorite flower? 

To look at, a camelia. To smell, a gardenia or sweet pea.

What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to?
Sept. 1st and the release of my second novel
"The Treasures of Venice"

What are you listening to right now? 

Nothing, it's nice and quiet, just the way I like it.

The first person you spoke to on the phone today? 

Somebody calling for Macy's. My phone number is one digit off theirs.

Favorite soft drink? 

 Diet Pepsi!

Real hair color? 

Salt and Pepper (and getting saltier every day)

What was your favorite toy as a child? 

Books (I was a geek, what can I say?)

Chocolate or Vanilla?

What is this vanilla of which you speak?!?!
There is no other flavor but chocolate!!!

Coffee or tea? 

Tea, hot with milk

When was the last time you cried? 

 Tonight while watching the movie "Grace is Gone" WONDERFUL FILM!

What are you afraid of? 

 The IRS.
I mean, THEY were the only ones to bring down Al Capone... SCARY!

How many keys on your key ring? 

The one I carry has 5 that I can think of,
but I have another key ring with spares and the key to the pool.

How many years at your current job? 

5 1/2 LOVELY years retired!
2  as a PUBLISHED novelist!

Do you make friends easily? 

Yes, I'm an EXTROVERT (big surprise -- NOT!)

Now it's your turn! Tell me some useless pieces of trivia about YOU!

Gimme 5... Venetian Things

For years and years, the place that occupied the Number One spot on my "Bucket List" was Venice. Every picture I saw, every guidebook, every travel program that had even a mention of the city nicknamed La Serenissima (the Serene One) made me salivate.

Lucky me! My DH took me there! (maybe he was truly sick and tired of hearing me carry on about wanting to go) And La Serenissima did not disappoint, it truly is one of the most unique places on earth! The city left quite a lasting impression on me. No wonder that when I sat down to write my very first contemporary romantic suspense novel I knew I had to set it in Venice.

So let me share 5 unforgettable and totally Venetian things:

The Bridge of Sighs -- I've mentioned this unique covered bridge and shared this picture before, but this lovely Venetian landmark plays a pivotal role in The Treasures of Venice, so here it is again. The bridge connects the Doge's Palace with the prison on the other side of the canal.


The Doge's Palace -- Another landmark with a role in The Treasures of Venice! The Doge's Palace was the residence of the elected ruler of the Venetian City-State as well as the seat of government. This huge and ornate building is not to be missed on any visit to Venice.


St. Mark's Cathedral and the Piazza surrounding it are the quintessential image of Venice and are the location of the opening scene of The Treasures of Venice. The Doge's Palace is right next door to St. Mark's and there really are about a million pigeons occupying the piazza at any given time.


The Rialto Bridge -- the largest and definitely the most
unique of the five bridges that cross Venice's Grand Canal, it is lined with very exclusive shops and has been since it was finished in its present incarnation in 1591! Yup, it makes more than one appearance in The Treasures of Venice.


Finally, what could possibly be more Venetian than a gondola? These long pointy black boats embody every cliche that is Venice, and in the best possible way! Of course I had to work in a gondola for a couple of very important scenes, include a very romantic one, in The Treasures of Venice.
Only 149 more days until the book hits store shelves! But who's counting?!?!

Back Cover Copy

YAY! I received the FULL cover that will go on my Advance Reader Copies and it includes the Back Cover Copy. Here's the photo:


I just LOVE the red background on the back cover and my name on the spine in a red rectangle! After all, red is a power color!

And so you don't have to strain your eyes, here's what the back cover says:

He's a charming Irish rogue who never met a lock he couldn't pick...

Keirnan Fitzgerald is desperate to locate the missing Jewels of the Madonna. With danger at every corner and time running out, he must use whatever means possible to uncover the stolen jewels in time to save his sister's life...

She's simply in Venice to relax and heal her broken heart...

Samantha Lewis is shocked with a dashing stranger approaches her in a Venetian cafe pretending to know her. She's ready for something new and exciting in her life, so she throws caution to the wind and accompanies the Irish charmer into his dangerous world of intrigue, theft, and betrayal...

As the centuries old story behind the Jewels disappearance is revealed, Samantha must decide whether the man she's so compellingly drawn to is her soul mate from a previous life or if they are merely pawns in a relentless quest for a priceless treasures...

New Cover!

HOORAY!

I'm so excited! My editor sent me the cover for The Treasures of Venice and she said I could share it!

All I can say is WOW!

The Sourcebooks Art Department has outdone themselves again.

I really expected a cover similar to The Wild Sight, not that I would have minded since I LURVED that cover (and so did a lot of other folks). But they went in a different direction and what a FANTASTIC RESULT!

So far the response has been all positive, even the DH likes it! Okay, he did make a snide remark about the guy taking off his shirt in church, but overall he thought it was very evocative and eye-catching.

What do you think?

Cappadocia

I have a post up on the Romance Bandits (just click on the title of this post to go there) with pictures of the Fairy Chimneys we saw in Cappadocia, Turkey.

As I mentioned, the weird formations and other-worldly-ness of this region made me feel like I was on another planet! Too bad I don't write science fiction or fantasy. Cappadocia would definitely inspire all kinds of story ideas.

Now be honest, does this look like any place on earth you've ever seen? (Never mind that alien creature standing in front of the formations.)

Amazon Pre-Order and A Contest!

Good news!

The Treasures of Venice is now listed on Amazon and Target.com as available for pre-order. Even though there's no cover image or story blurb yet, the title, my name as author, and the September 1st release date are all there.

Another small step down the long road to seeing The Treasures of Venice on the shelves!

I've also decided to hold my very first contest!

Members of my Yahoo Group (see the sidebar for info) are eligible to win $10 Amazon and Barnes & Noble gift certificates. If you are already a member, THANK YOU! You don't have to do anything, but if you convince a friend to sign up for my Yahoo Group between now and April 26th, you will increase your chances to win.

All NEW MEMBERS who sign up between now and April 26th will be in a special drawing for a $10 gift certificate. So please, PLEASE sign up now! You might win, but even if you don't, you'll get all the news FIRST, and you'll get to read monthly excerpts from The Treasures of Venice and my next release!

Gimme 5... Things About Treasures of Venice

It is now LESS than six months until my next release The Treasures of Venice hits the shelves, so I guess the countdown has begun!

I suppose a good place to start is by revealing a few things about the story. Here then, are five random things about The Treasures of Venice:

1. Even though the story is set in Venice, Italy, the hero is an Irish hunk by the name of Keirnan Fitzgerald (and any resemblance to Gerry Butler may not be all that coincidental),
2. The heroine, Samantha Lewis has the same color eyes as me (described by the hero as golden green),
3. The character of Serafina Lombardo was inspired by a Renaissance portrait of a young woman named Gianna Tornabuoni,
4. The story was originally inspired by a piece of music from the opera "Jewels of the Madonna" but also borrows liberally from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet,"
5. The book features a dual storyline that takes place in both current day Venice and Venice in 1485.
   

It still doesn't seem quite real that this story will finally make it's way into print (I actually wrote it before I wrote The Wild Sight). September feels a long way off, but I know (based on previous experience with The Wild Sight) that the time will fly by! Right now, I can't wait to see the cover!

Your Game

Here's a fun Meme that was sent from my friend Ian in Arizona. The challenge is to answer each to these 13 questions with a word that starts with the same letter as the first letter in your first name. Oh, and you can't reuse your name for the boy/girl name!

What is your name? Cindy
A 4 Letter Word: Cool

A Boy's Name: Colin (my son)

A Girl's name: Chloe (my previous dog, a Schipperke/Jack Russell mix)

An Occupation: Carpet weaver (saw these in Turkey)

A Color: Chartreuse

Something you wear: chaps (LURVE those cowboys!)

A Beverage: coffee

A Food: Chocolate! (Was there ever a doubt about this answer?)

Something found in the bathroom: cleanser

A place: Charleston (only been there once, but really enjoyed the historic section)

A Reason for being late: Channel surfing (Not something I do very often)

Something you shout: Cowabunga! (DUDE!)

Okay, now it's YOUR turn! If Ian can come up with 13 answers all starting with "I" you can surely manage.

New Title and Copy Edits!

It's been an exciting week with two more important steps down the road to my next release!

I received my copyedits for my Sept. 09 release and true to my copyeditor's email, they were LIGHT! Mostly they were a 'clean up' of my punctuation, and a few comments asking for clarification. So a big THANX to the two lovely ladies who were my copyeditors for this manuscript! I've finished going through all of them and actually returned them ahead of schedule (a very rare occurance).

The second and even more exciting piece of news, is that I finally have a new title for the book! The manuscript formerly know as Jewels of the Madonna, will henceforth be titled The Treasures of Venice. I'm very happy to have Venice in the title as I think this will be intriguing to readers.

What do you think?

And what do you picture on the cover?

Even More Turkish Delight!

I'm blogging today over at the Casablanca Authors about the hot springs at Pamukkale, Turkey. Just click on the title of this post to see a couple of pictures and here are a couple more...

Yes, those tiny little figures are people. The area is VAST! Actually it looks a lot like the Minerva hot springs in Yellowstone which is also an entire mountain side covered with mineral deposits.

It was so extraordinary to see these ruins and and think about all the thousands of years that people lived in this area. Being the huge history buff that I am, I get really excited by that kind of thing.


Oh what the heck! Here's one more piccie. This one looks like snow. Or maybe cake icing melting off the mountain, as in that old song MacArthur Park and the line, "Someone's left the cake out in the rain..."

As I asked on the Casablanca blog, would YOU read a romance novel set in Turkey?

My First Book Signing

Yesterday I participated in my first book signing and I had so much fun!

Three other local romance authors joined me at a local Barnes & Noble bookstore and we had a great time talking to each other and all the customers. In addition to selling our books, we gave away candy, book marks, post cards, pens, and buttons. Also, one of the other authors arranged to have 10% of sales go to benefit a local agency that provides goods and services to foster children. Talk about a winning situation!

We sold LOTS of books! I only had two copies of The Wild Sight left after two hours. Best of all, the B&N rep who arranged the signing is anxious to have us back!

One of the other authors' lovely DH took this piccie and added the captions. Yes, we romance authors know how to have FUN!
Hope you all had FUN on Valentine's Day too!

The Wild Sight Is A WINNER!

Just a quick note to pass along some WONDERFUL news. The Wild Sight is a winner in the Houston Romance Writers "Judge A Book By Its Cover"contest!

It's no secret that I have loved the cover since the moment I first saw it, and many other people have expressed the same opinion, so I entered the contest.

It is the third place winner in the Romantic Suspense category. To view the five winners in Romantic Suspense just click on the title of this post.

Of course, the REAL credit goes to the Sourcebooks Art Department who created the gorgeous cover, but I am thrilled and will happily take any part of the credit I can get!

More Turkish Delight

A few more pics from my holiday trip to Turkey...

This is a carving from a building in Ephesus of the goddess Nike. No she is not wearing tennis shoes, but the details on her wing feathers is still amazing even after 2,000 years.

This is the main street of Ephesus and the major part of the archeological excavations. We started at the top where the Forum (government buildings) was and as you can see, the street ends with the fabulous Library of Celsius. On either side would have been retail shops, fountains, and a few public monuments. You can still see ruts in the paving stones of the streets left from the passing of all those chariots. The city had a population of 250,000 during the height of the Roman period!

And here is yer Olde Aunty standing in front of some of the Forum buildings. Our guide told us that there are 3 things that destroyed ancient cities: Fire, Foes, and Earthquakes. Ephesus was destroyed at least three times by earthquakes. It wasn't rebuilt the last time because the harbor, which used to be just behind the Celsius Library, had silted up over the many years since the city's founding. Without the seaport, the city could no longer support itself.

A similar fate befell Troy. Here is Aunty standing next to one of the city walls, listening intently to our wonderful guide (behind me in the jeans and red shirt) Salih. Of the nine different cities built one atop the other in this area, scientists and scholars have determined that the sixth city was the Troy of Homer's epic, The Iliad. The ninth city, like so many other places in Western Turkey, was Roman.

Award Winning!

EXCITING NEWS!

This morning the CataNetwork review site announced their Reviewers' Choice Awards for the best books of 2008.

Of the hundreds of books they reviewed last year, they selected THE WILD SIGHT as one of the eleven best single titles of the year! (Click on the title of this post to see the list of all the winners.)

Single Titles did give me a wonderful review back in Sept. but this award was TOTALLY OUT OF THE BLUE! And that makes it doubly sweet!

Now excuse me while I go back to my Snoopy Happy Dancing!

Bandita Invasion!

This week the 19 other Romance Bandits and I have been invited to blog over at Romance Novel TV. (just click on the title of this post to go there)

We are doing a fun exercise where every day four Banditas each write a short vignette to go with one picture. We then ask for readers to supply the next line of the story. We're giving away lots of prizes every day for the best lines.

Today (Tues. the 27th) is my turn. I'm appearing with contemporary debut author Susan Sey, and historical writers Joan Kayse and Christine Wells. We've had a lot of fun picking our picture, called "Girl In A Cage" and we all took a very different slant with our vignettes.

Later this week (the 29th and 30th) we are holding a contest on the Casablanca Authors blog. If you are an aspiring writer, be SURE to check it out! (http://www.casablancaauthors.blogspot.com/)

Ephesus

I have a post up on Romance Bandits today that has info and a couple of pictures of the Library of Celsius in Ephesus. (Just click on the title of this post to check it out.)

Yes, those are pictures I took during our recent tour of Turkey and since I promised to post more, here are a couple more of Ephesus:

This is the amphitheater. During the height of the Roman city (Ephesus was originally founded by the Greeks) it held 80,000 people! Yes, you read that right. The city had over 250,000 inhabitants in 135 A.D.

And no, St. Paul never preached in this theater. He was scheduled to, but decided that would not be a politically wise move, and fled the city instead. However Sting once performed here in the 1990s!

This is an elaborate fountain.
The Romans who lived in Ephesus were big on fountains and this is one of several on the main thoroughfare of the city.

I *think* this one is dedicated to the Emperor Hadrian (the guy who built the wall between England and Scotland in 110 AD) but I might be wrong. But I know for sure it is not the one dedicated to Trajan, because I have another picture of that one and it is more squared. I liked the arch on this one.

That's it for now. I've been trying for an hour to upload more but my computer hates me today.

Fearless?!?

I haven't done a Meme in awhile, so I took this little quiz (click on the title of this blog post if you want to take it too) to find "My Word" and share the results. Be prepared to laugh, coz here it is...
You see life as your one chance to experience everything, and you just go for it! You believe the biggest risk is being afraid and missing out on something amazing.

Sometimes your fearlessness means you're daring. You enjoy risky activities. And sometimes your fearlessness means you're courageous. You're brave enough to do the right thing, even when it's scary.

Please forgive my uncontrolled outburst of hilarity. I happen to know that I am one HUGE 'Fraidy Cat! Truly about the farthest from fearless I can imagine.

Daring? Moi? HARDLY!

Enjoy risky ativities? Not in this lifetime! Unless, of course, risky activities include eating chocolate and writing about hunky heroes...

Oh, and travel, but honestly, I don't consider the places I go to be risky. If I did, I wouldn't go!

But back to writing about those hunky heroes, and spunky heroines... I'm currently revising my next release, and the heroine has just risked her life to save the hero. This is what I love about reading and writing romantic suspense. The characters ARE fearless!

That doesn't mean they aren't afraid. My heroine Samantha was plenty scared -- the wet palms, pumping heart, almost can't breathe variety. But as that last sentence under Fearless says, she was "brave enough to do the right thing, even when it's scary."

I always admire that, at least in fiction, and I'd like to think I could do it too. If I had to be, I would be fear...
Sorry, I can't even imagine that with a straight face!

Good-Bye 2008

The first week of a NEW YEAR!

And just like I do every year, I've been looking back over the year that just passed, seeing where I've been, what I've done, where I'm going... Hmmm, I guess waxing a bit philosophical comes with the territory at the start of a new year.

One year ago today, I launched my website (www.LoucindaMcgary.com)! Since then, I've had several thousand visitors from all over the world. I've also received a few "fan emails" from the contact page on the website and those always thrill and excite me.

This time last year, I was fretting over my first release which had NO title, NO cover, and NO release date! Well, in spite of all my fussing and fuming, those things happened in due time, and eventually, I saw the fulfillment of my BIGGEST DREAM!

MY FIRST BOOK APPEARED ON BOOKSTORE SHELVES!

There really is nothing else to quite compare, although in November I had something come pretty close: My publisher offered me a contract for TWO MORE BOOKS!

After all these years of trying and dreaming, I feel like in 2008 I finally arrived. I am an AUTHOR!

So much for what I did in 2008. Where am I going in 2009? Honestly, I want to do more of the same: keep writing and selling books! I learned a lot about writing, publishing and promotion in 2008, and I know I still have a lot to learn.

Writing and publishing can be a difficult, frustrating, and sometimes disappointing process, truly a journey and not a destination. While I'm happy to be making this journey, I do think I'm being a bit more realistic about it in 2009 than I have been in the past.

Care to share your memories of 2008 and plans for 2009 with me?

The BEST Christmas Present!

YIPEE!!!

This morning I received wonderful news. The Wild Sight has been nominated for a "Cupid and Psyche Award" (CAPA) from The Romance Studio in the Romantic Suspense category. (To read their great 5 heart review of TWS, just click on the title of this post.)

They won't announce the winners until Feb. 14th, but just to be nominated is a huge THRILL!

Turkish Delight!

We had a FANTASTIC trip to Turkey! The tour far exceeded our expectations and we had an outstanding tour guide. Among some of the wonderful sights we saw were the ruins of Troy, the ruins of Ephesus, Pergamon (Yup, also ruins!), the Roman baths and necropolis at Pamukkale, the underground cities and "fairy chimneys" of Cappadocia, and Attaturk's monument in Ankara.

If you'd like to see and read about the underground cities, I posted about them on the Bandit blog last Thursday (just click on the title of this blog post to go there).

Meanwhile, Aunty is enough of a Grinchy Scrooge that I was HAPPY to be in a country where 98% of the population doesn't celebrate Christmas. I didn't have to listen to any Christmas carols repeated ad nauseam, and the only Christmas decoration I saw was one funky black tree with white lights in a mall window in Konya.


Please check back here for more of my travel adventures in Turkey... as soon as I can figure out how to crop and resize my pictures! Here's an attempt to show you the main street of Ephesus looking down from the Forum to the Celcius library.

Buy A Book -- PLEASE!

'Tis the season, and if you are anything like Aunty (POOR YOU!) your budget is stretched way beyond the limit and you need some inexpensive gifts. What could be better than a GREAT BOOK?!?! (Yes, that's a rhetorical question.)

It just so happens that my Casablanca sisters and I have a few recommendations, in case you need any help. There's something for everyone on this list -- contemporary, historical, paranormal... I'll start off with a new romantic suspense tale that you MAY have already heard about...

The Wild Sight
By: Loucinda McGary
Cursed with the Irish clairvoyance known as "The Sight," Donovan O'Shea fled to America to escape his "gift." Fifteen years later, his father's illness has forced him to return to the family homestead where years earlier, Donovan's mother disappeared into the fens and was never seen again. Now the same fens are offering up secrets, both ancient and recent, and restoring a terrible legacy that just may drive him mad. And if this were not trouble enough, a beautiful woman walks into his life, claiming to be his half-sister.

Rylie Powell never knew her real father. Her mother would only say he was a charming Irishman who seduced her, married her, and then abandoned her and his baby daughter. But after her mother's death, Rylie finds tantalizing clues about her father that send her off to Northern Ireland and an archeological site on Dermot O'Shea's property, the man listed on her birth certificate as her father.

Did Dermot O'Shea father both Donovan and Rylie? What is Donovan's connection to the Celtic High King Niall of the Nine Hostages? And what secrets do the fens hold that invites murder?

"...brings elements of the supernatural into this smashing romantic suspense novel. ...McGary never shortchanges the sizzling romance... as she weaves in ancient legend and recent murders, building to a dramatic, memorable conclusion." —Publisher’s Weekly Starred review

Line of Scrimmage
By: Marie Force
The Hail Mary play of a lifetime . . . An NFL quarterback has just 10 days to convince his soon-to-be ex-wife to give him another chance, and he has to act fast—she’s already engaged to her ex-boyfriend. Readers will laugh and cry and hope—that at the end of the day, these two lovers, who clearly belong together, will somehow find their way back to one another.

“With its humor and endearing characters, Force's charming novel will appeal to a broad spectrum of readers, reaching far beyond sports fans.” —Booklist

Dating da Vinci
By: Malena Lott
A gorgeous young Italian, with nowhere to go . . .His name just happens to be Leonardo da Vinci. When he walks into Ramona Elise's English class, he's a twenty-five-year-old immigrant, struggling to forge a new life in America - but he's lonely, has nowhere to live, and barely speaks English . . .She knows she shouldn't take him home . . .Picking up the pieces of her life after the death of her beloved husband, linguist and teacher Ramona Elise can't help but be charmed by her gorgeous new student. And when he calls her "Mona Lisa" she just about loses her heart . . .

"Delightfully affirming romance!" —Booklist

Romeo Romeo
By: Robin Kaye
Rosalie Ronaldi is a woman focused on her career. She has no intention of ever getting married nor is she a domestic goddess—both major points of contention with her traditional Italian Catholic family. However, when she gets a flat tire and is stranded on the side of the road, a mechanic with a tow truck pulls over, and gives her a hand.
Turns out that “mechanic” is actually Nick Romeo, “Brooklyn’s Donald Trump,” a self-made millionaire and serial dater. He’s instantly attracted to Rosalie, even though she’s far from his usual type of girlfriends who are fortune-hunting sticks with breasts. He quickly realizes, though, that he would have no chance with her if she knew who he was—the multi-millionaire playboy who, back in his misspent youth, got her older brother arrested. So he neglects to mention that detail. Somewhat inexplicably to both of them, they click instantly (helped along by Nick’s protective instincts when Rosalie gets pneumonia), and Nick suddenly becomes her live-in caretaker, cook, housekeeper, and lover, all rolled into one. Looming over his head, though, is his hidden identity and the fact that his company is at odds with Rosalie’s.

“Wonderful Laugh Out Loud Humor, a sexy and precious love story with twists and turns until the very end. Do Not Miss This Treasure!!” —Single Title Reviews

Slave
By: Cheryl Brooks
Looking for something different? If you'd like a strong heroine, plenty of adventure, steamy romance, and hot, erotic sex with an irresistible alien lover who can purr, then this first book in The Cat Star Chronicles series is for you! Join Captain Jacinth "Jack" Rutland and Carkdakund "Cat" Tshevnoe on their rescue mission on a planet with fascinating world customs, danger, and a surprising secret!

"A hugely remarkable first foray into the written word, SLAVE will enthrall and entice. The sexual tension and compatibility of the two main characters are hot enough to start a fire. Add in a thrilling new world and my reading experience was complete." —Romance Junkies

Warrior
By: Cheryl Brooks
Action, adventure, sizzling romance, and another irresistible Zetithian lover are the hallmarks of this second book in The Cat Star Chronicles series. Join the powerful witch, Tisana, and Leccarian "Leo" Banadansk, a golden-haired Zetithian warrior, in their race to find two kidnapped boys and earn Leo's freedom from a lifetime of slavery! Plenty of laughs are provided by the local animals with whom Tisana can communicate telepathically, but watch out: This witch can set you on fire!

"Ms. Brooks masterfully combined Sci-Fi fantasy, paranormal elements, hot and sensual alien attributes and hilarity with characters that wiggled their way into my heart and dreams. My advice is to rush out and grab a Warrior of your own." —Whipped Cream Erotic Romance Reviewers

50 Ways to Hex Your Lover
By: Linda Wisdom
What’s a witch to do? 700 year young Jazz Tremaine lives the good life as a curse eliminator and driver for All Creatures Car Service even if ghostly Irma haunts her precious 1956 T-Bird convertible and magick bunny slippers Fluff and Puff make life crazy for her. Now her PI ex vampire Nick Gregory is back in town and needs her help with a serial killer of vampires that’s using dark magick. Can Jazz work with the sexy vampire without reliving the past? What do you think?

“With clever writing, a high sensuality factor and an unfettered imagination, Wisdom makes a sparkling entry into lite urban paranormals.” —Publisher’s Weekly

Hex Appeal
By: Linda Wisdom
Jazz’s life is never boring. Now she’s having disturbing nightmares that involve Nick and he’s having them too. Someone doesn’t want them together and to make matters worse, Jazz’s beloved magick bunny slippers, Fluff and Puff are accused of eating a carny were-weasel! Once again Jazz is doing her hexy stuff to find out who’s messing up her usually blissful dreams and who dared to frame Fluff and Puff when everyone knows were-weasels taste nasty.

“Bless Jazz Tremaine’s witchy, Prada-loving heart – she’s captured mine! I can’t get enough of Jazz and her vamp lover Nick. Kudos to Linda Wisdom for a series that's pure magic!” —Vicki Lewis Thompson, NYT bestselling author of Wild & Hexy

The Lady Flees Her Lord
By: Michele Anne Young
She’s desperate for peace and safety… Unfashionably plump Lucinda, Lady Denbigh, is running from a husband who physically and emotionally abused her because she has failed to produce an heir. Posing as a widow, she seeks refuge in the quiet countryside…
He’s returned from the wars, wounded and tormented… Lord Hugo Wanstead, with a wound that won’t heal, finds his estate impoverished, his sleep torn by nightmares, and brandy his only solace. When he meets Lucinda, he finds her beautiful, body and soul, and thinks she just might give him something to live for… Together they can begin to heal, but not until she is free of her violent past…

"This is a wonderful book. Beautiful historical background with two characters who just are not perfect. It makes the story so much more real when you can relate to them. I look forward to reading more from this author. Armchair Interviews says: Highly recommended for those who love historical romance." —Arm Chair Interviews

SEALed With a Kiss
By: Mary Margaret Daughtridge
Even a hero needs help sometimes… Navy SEAL Lt. Jax Graham is as at home in the water as…well, a seal, but he’s completely out of his depth when his ex-wife dies and he must find a caregiver for the son he hardly knows. He intends to let
Tyler live with his grandmother—until he spends the weekend from hell with the two of them, that is. One look at bright, bossy, and sweetly sexy Pickett Sessoms and Jax knows she’ll expect more than he has to give. But right now, he needs help with his sad and silent son, and she knows a lot about kids. What about Tyler? Well, Tyler is only four years old. He doesn’t know a lot about anything. But he's sure he needs a mommy who isn’t dead, a daddy he can trust, a dog, and a bed of his very own.

"With a hero who's not only a tough Navy SEAL but also an insecure, vulnerable father and a pretty but unsure heroine with a big heart and a huge amount of love to give, how can this story miss? It doesn't; it delivers in a huge way. Throw in a lost little boy and some great dogs and you get a heart-touching story that will keep you smiling and cheering for the characters clear through to the happy ending." —Romantic Times, four and a half out of five.

Homesick and A Bond Girl for My WIP!

No, I'm not really here, I'm in Turkey. In fact, as you are reading this, I SHOULD be visiting the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus. But I thought I'd leave a post behind to keep you all on your toes and to let you know that I'm missing home... Well, maybe not quite yet, but before the end of the trip, I will be!

Usually somewhere around day 10 of any vacation, I experience a severe bout of home-sickness. That should happen in another 4 or 5 days, right around the time we hit Ankara. I especially miss my dogs, who are being spoiled rotten in the kennel where they always stay when we go on trips. But I miss my friends and family too, and I miss my writing!

A couple of days before we left, my BFF Shirl and I went to see the new Bond film, Quantum of Solace. We are both BIG Bond fans, and we both had the same complaint about this one: too many close-ups of Bond's face and not enough of his bare torso! HA!

But one of the surprising things about the movie was one of the Bond girls, Agent Fields (billed in the credits as Strawberry Fields, ah those Bond names). What a shock when she walked on screen, because she looked exactly like I imagined the heroine of my current work-in-progress (the currently untitled New Irish Tale).

I came home and googled the lovely actress, of course, and made a copy of one of her photos for "inspiration" as I'm writing. So without further adieu, here is how *I* imagine my heroine Amber O'Neill...