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Tuesday, April 22nd 2008

6:25 AM

CHOCOLATE -- IT'S NO SECRET THAT WOMEN LOVE IT!

Who loves chocolate? I'm waving both hands in the air -- I'm a chocoholic, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Now, I can't site the scientific evidence, but I've heard that eating chocolate releases the same endorphins as being in love, so that probably explains why so many women reach for chocolate as often as possible. I've also heard that dark chocolate, especially, is as good for your heart as red wine. Chocolate -- a health food. I really like that idea.
 
So how about combining chocolate and love? Mmmm...  My friend and critique partner, author Zelda Benjamin did just that in her new release,  CHOCOLATE SECRETS, a story where the power of chocolate and the power of love work their magic on an ER nurse and a NY firefighter. Here's more...
Chocolate Secrets (Avalon Romance)
 
 
Alex Martinelli, an ER nurse with a passion for reading her daily horoscope has several valid reasons not to get involved with NYC firefighter, Mike Simone. An alliance between a true water sign and a man whose element is ruled by fire makes them an unlikely couple. Even worse is his connection to the man who stole her grandfather’s secret chocolate recipe.

But the sexy hero seems to always show up when she needs him most. In return for his heroism, Mike only wants two things from Alex: a chance to prove he is her true soul mate and her grandfather's secret chocolate recipe. Can Alex deny her destiny or will Mike's determination melt her heart?

So grab a bit of your favorite chocolate, curl up in your comfiest chair and spend an afternoon being charmed by chocolate and love.

CHOCOLATE SECRETS by Zelda Benjamin -- available now from Avalon Books, ISBN: 978-0803498846. You can purchase Chocolate Secrets at Amazon, OR you can look for it at your local library!

 

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Thursday, April 10th 2008

7:54 AM

SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW

I have a shocking and difficult confession to make. I'll admit, I thought about never mentioning this to anyone, but then I thought, hey, I might not be alone, and maybe someone out there will find comfort in the fact that they're not alone either. If I can help someone out that way, then this is the right thing to do. So here it is:
 
I watch American Idol. Regularly. I don't actually call in to vote (much to my shame, perhaps), but what can I say except that I just find it incredibly relaxing after a long day to sit down and watch other people dig deep to find the best of their talents. And probably because I'm a writer and have gone through the submission/rejection/critique/revision process for years, I really, REALLY get what it's like for those kids to stand there and listen to Simon.
 
Anyway, once in a very blue moon something kind of extraordinary happens where talent aligns with the stars and magic happens. For me, one of those times was last Tuesday, during the performance of Over the Rainbow by Jason Castro, or "Dreadlock Boy", as my husband and I fondly refer to him, who actually hasn't been one of our favorites (sorry kid!) But I've happened to absolutely love that version of that song ever since I first heard it at the end of one of my favorite movies, FIFTY FIRST DATES.
 
So where is all this leading? Well, after Idol the other night, we Googled that version of the song to find out its origins, and discovered a really touching story about a remarkable artist, Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwo'ole, a young man who isn't with us anymore but who by all appearances was loved by everyone who knew him, not to mention the entire state of Hawaii.
 
If you're having a not-so-good day, if your spirits could use a little boost, or if you'd just like a reason to smile right now, click on the link below. It's kind of sad, but a celebration, too.
 
A Tribute to Brudda Iz
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Sunday, April 6th 2008

8:53 AM

New Release: ONE REAL MAN by Janette Kenny

ONE REAL MAN by Janette Kenny

Available April 1st!

 

Lost And Found…

Gil Yancy is a man with a mission: claim his share of Rocky Point Ranch and build a herd of his own. What Gil doesn’t count on is the greeting he gets—in the form of a stove lid upside the head—from the mistress of the place. She’s the prettiest thing Gil’s ever laid eyes—and more—on. When last they met, the shady lady seduced him and stole his last red cent, so now it might just be time for a little sweet revenge…

Josie can’t believe Rocky Point’s new cowboy is that cowboy—the one with the strongest-yet-gentlest hands ever to mark a trail down her body. She robbed Gil blind out of sheer desperation, and years later, Josie still has something of his…but that’s not her only secret. She wants him just as much as ever—and she knows he’d do anything to please a lady…

Praise for One Real Man–

“Janette Kenny has, once again, written a winning novel.” Brenda Talley, The Romance Studio

“Kenny utilizes a standard western theme - two strong-willed characters fighting for ranch ownership - and adds a twist or two, changing the typical to the unique.” Kathe Robin, Romantic Times

“One word - awesome!” Merri Crawford, Merrimon Book Reviews

buy from amazon!

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Wednesday, April 2nd 2008

8:26 AM

A NEW RELEASE FROM AUTHOR LAURA DREWRY!

The Devil’s Daughter is on the shelves!

Fire and brimstone she can manage;
Falling in love’s a whole ‘nother story. . .

The Devil’s Daughter will do whatever it takes to win her freedom, even if it means claiming the soul of sexy Jed Caine.

There’s no question he wants her, but he wants more than just her body; he wants her heart, too, and he’ll settle for nothing less. His stubborn ways and gentle touches are too much— even for the devil’s own daughter.
She was sent to steal his soul, yet there he was. . . capturing her heart.

How was she ever going to explain this to her father??

Here’s what the reviewers have to say:

“. . .a provocative western loaded with lustful love scenes and a romance that will melt your heart.” 4 1/2 stars
- Romance Junkies

“. . .a clever paranormal western with a bad-girl heroine and a saintly hero struggling with love, loyalty, duty and passion. It reads like the best of Americana, with the right hint of devilishness, proving that naughty can be good.” 4 stars
- Romantic Times BookReviews

“. . .devilishly delightful. . .”
- Harriet Klausner

“. . .humor, sizzle, and emotion in a strong novel.” 4 stars
- BooksForABuck

“. . .a lighthearted romp from the gates of hell to the Old West.”
- Singletitles.com

“. . .an original, creative, and humorous story. . .” 5 spurs
- LovesWesternRomances

Check out more at http://lauradrewry.com/!!

 

 

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Saturday, March 8th 2008

12:18 PM

FIRE!!

Here's an interesting tidbit. FORTUNE'S KISS really should have been out by now, but there was a bit of a glitch with the printer. As in...FIRE!!! I don't know if it was actual books that burned, or, more likely, a fire on the premises that maybe shut down operations and required a clean up afterward. But for anyone who has looked for Fortune's Kiss in stores and hasn't found it, or looked on Amazon, where it's still listed as a presale, that's the story, and what an unexpected one it is. I'm told the books will start shipping next week. Hurray! This book was a lot of fun to write, and now I'm eager to share it with readers.
 
Here's a snippet from the latest review from Romance Reviews Today: "...Unique and sinfully delicious..."
 
(click on the link for the full review)
 
 
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Friday, February 29th 2008

8:35 AM

A CONTEST AND FEATURED AUTHOR

Woohoo! I've been chosen as a featured author on the Medallion Press website for March.  You can check out me and my new release, Fortune's Kiss, at Medallion Press. It should by posted by Monday.

I'm also launching the release of Fortune's Kiss with a contest at Fresh Fiction. It will be up in March. Just click on contests, and scroll to find me! The winner will receive a signed copy of the book and a gift card to Borders or Barnes& Noble (winner's choice)!

 

 

 

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Monday, February 18th 2008

8:52 AM

FORTUNE'S KISS Reviews!

Hurray! FORTUNE’S KISS will be released in about 3 weeks, on March 6th, and here’s what reviewers have said so far:

 

“Lisa Manuel is very talented author and she grabs a hold of your attention and doesn’t let it go till she finishes the story. The characters are full of depth and vitality and you feel like you are with them every step of the way. FORTUNE’S KISS is definitely one for the keeper shelves.” – Night Owl Reviews

 

“Settle down with some tea and cakes and put up your feet. Fortune's Kiss is an excellent Sunday afternoon read.” – Novel Spot

 

“…An excellent historical romantic suspense. This is an exciting and enjoyable book and one you don’t want to miss.” – Romance Junkies

 

“…An amusing, engaging historical romance starring two likable heroes and a zany out of control support cast.”  – Harriet Klausner

 

The thing I love about these reviews is that in each case, the reviewer really "got" the story. The humor (at times zany, I’ll admit), the family strife, the suspense element, the dynamics about trust and loyalty. All the things I’d hoped people would get. That’s not always the case. Sometimes an author will include threads that just get lost in the plot and go unnoticed. So I’m totally happy that my intentions for this book seem to have worked!

 

I’ll admit that even after three previous books, I still SWEAT when it comes to reviews. Not like I used to, though. I swear I nearly put a hole in my stomach stressing out over the reviews for my first book, MOSTLY MARRIED. And what a waste of time it was working up all that angst, because my reviews were “mostly” fabulous. I mean, you can’t totally delight EVERY reviewer out there, but for the most part, hey, I’ve had reason to be grateful.

 

So, a special thank you to all my reviewers, and reviewers in general. You all help drive the sale of books and I know that in some cases, your reward is nothing more than the enjoyment of reading the latest books.

 

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Wednesday, January 23rd 2008

8:16 AM

P.O. PARIAH

Dear Customers at my local post office yesterday,
I'm sorry! 
 
There. I had to get that out. It isn't fun to be reviled. To suddenly find oneself the object of derision, the grand pariah of the U.S. Post Office. But yesterday, that's exactly what I was.
 
I didn't mean to be, honest I didn't, but I had this promo mailing I needed to get out for my March release, FORTUNE'S KISS, which meant marching into the PO with a box full of 7x10 envelopes, each containing coverflats and either 10 or 15 or 20 or 30 bookmarks inside. So it wasn't like I could just stamp them myself and toss them in the box.
 
In my defense, the place was practically empty when I got there, and it was well before lunchtime. I figured, hey, I got here at a really lucky moment, and I'll be in and out in no time and at no one's inconvenience. Wrong! Almost immediately, this snaking line formed behind me, and when it was my turn at the counter, my back practically blistered from the waves of resentment hitting me from behind. I thought, Oh No! I'm one of those obnoxious people that tie up the PO line!! And I just wanted to dissolve into the hideous design of the linoleum tiles.  
 
But what did I expect? It's like thinking you can run up to the grocery store without a trace of makeup, hoping you can sneak in and out without anyone noticing you, and running into EVERYONE you know. Luck is just like that in situations like this.
 
But anyway, there's my confession. I'm a P.O. line-holder-upper, and I'm not proud.... 
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Saturday, January 12th 2008

8:08 AM

PLAGIARISM SCANDAL

I just took a few minutes to catch up on a plagiarism scandal currently rumbling through The Romance Writers of America. Apparently, historical author Cassie Edwards (who actually is not an RWA member at this time) is being accused of lifting material from her reference sources and just dropping it into her books. It was caught by the popular bloggers, Smart Bitches Who Love Trashy Books.
 
After reading what the Smart Bitches had to say, and then reading a couple of articles plus the posts I'm seeing on my various loops, my gut instinct is to "step back, take a breath, get a grip." Because this is UNSETTLING, to say the least. I read a comparison of a paragraph in one of Ms. Edward's books, and then the original source material, and yes, they were very similar. Yes, she could have done a better job of translating the material into her own voice, but it still didn't seem like blatant plagiarism to me. We all do research, and we all work that research into our novels. How else can we achieve any sort of authenticity in our writing? I'm very careful never to present any factual information unless it's completely within my characters' perspectives, through their eyes and in their own distinct voices. That's one way to ensure you're not just "info dumping" your research. Even so, this development is scary, especially since the Smart Bitches discovered this "plagiarism" by using software developed specifically for that purpose. Beware, writers, Big Brother is watching! (Hey, does that make me guilty of plagiarizing George Orwell? Guess not, since I just gave him credit).
 
I don't mean to be flippant.  I take this very seriously, but my official stance is to wait and see what the courts decide (if this ends up going to court) before condemning anyone, or destroying anyone's career. Dan Brown was sued for plagiarism of nonfiction material, and was exonerated. But I do believe this may bring a change to the historical romance industry. I'm also a tremendous fan of historical fiction, and I know that at the back of each of those works is a lengthy list of sources and acknowledgments. This may well become the norm for historical romance as well, or maybe all fiction. I'll admit I've been pretty cavalier about not keeping careful track of every website visited, or every snippet of information I read in books. That's about to change.  For me, this incident has been a wake up call.
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Thursday, January 3rd 2008

8:01 AM

BRRRRR!!!!

Not to blog about the weather or anything, but it's FREAKIN' FREEZING here in Florida today. We woke up to temps in the 30s -- THE THIRTIES!!! What the--? I mean, the poor palm trees are shivering and going, "What the F#@K???" Not to mention that if it's going to do this, why not a week ago for Christmas? Huh? At least then all the snowbirds here for the holidays, and even the locals who just refuse to get over their northern mindsets, might have stopped whining for once about how "it just doesn't feel like Christmas...blah, blah blah." Oh, not that I don't enjoy the occasional winter blast. Gives me a reason to wear sweaters and closed-toed shoes. Today I dug out my Alaska sweatshirt. I like the irony of it, seeing as I live in what you could call the exact opposite state in every way imaginable. I loved Alaska for it's extremes and unbelievably rugged beauty. But it was a place -- one of the few places I've been -- where I knew immediately I could never live full time. I'm just NOT that hardy. You've got to be REALLY REALLY resilient to live in Alaska. As it is, just getting through today here in the Sunshine state is going to be a challenge. I think I'd better make some hot chocolate...

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