trueromance

Setting:Moscow in the near-future (a very dark, dystopian Moscow)
Subgenre: Paranormal romance
Hero: Bad boy fallen angel Brends Duranov
Heroine: Always-in-control good girl Mischka Baran

One sentence summary: Mischka Baran temporarily sells her soul to fallen angel Brends Duranov in exchange for his help finding her missing cousin—only to get more than she bargained for when Brends decides he’s playing for keeps and Mischka is his pre-destined soul mate.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
When my editor and I were discussing Bond with Me, she suggested giving Mischka Baran’s missing cousin her own romance with a fallen angel. Mischka’s cousin, Pell, has a very naughty side and her angel stages a very wicked seduction. The Fallen can make wishes come true. All a woman has to do is accept the Fallen’s dark offer: bond with him, swear to serve his every desire, and receive one favor. Whatever she names, he’ll deliver. All she has to do is serve him, in bed and out, letting him drink of her soul through their bond. Of course, the greater the favor, the longer the bond will last. Name too large a request and you’ll serve forever. Pell and Dathan bond in a bathhouse—in a very steamy, very sensual seduction that sets the stage for their growing relationship.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying:
Whatever you say, dear. Mischka is a strong, independent woman—she’s not used to handing over control and letting someone else drive her life. She has her hands full dealing with an alpha male like Brends.

What celebrity is your hero like:
Ah… the dreaded compare-your-hero-to-a-movie-star question. Honestly, I don’t watch too many movies that aren’t animated children’s movies (I have an incredibly low tolerance for bloodshed and violence in my movies) and Mr. Incredible just isn’t my idea of sexy. Large. Dark. Predatory. The vampire king in Underworld, perhaps.

What celebrity is your heorine like:
When I was searching for a face for Mischka, I wanted her outward appearance to be beautiful and serene. Outwardly, she’s a classic dark-haired Russian beauty like Oxana Federova. She’s a self-composed woman—who hates to lose control. Secretly, however, she’s always wanted to give up that control and to explore some of her darker sexual fantasies. She’s looking for a bad boy who can tempt her to turn over the reigns to him temporarily—and Brends Duranov is more than up to the challenge. The first time he sees her walking towards him, he wants to unwrap her and all of her secrets.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Mischka is a restaurant hostess. When Brends shows up and demands to be seated, sparks fly between them. She’s torn between doing the responsible thing—her job—and giving in to her feelings and demanding he hit the road.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Brends Duranov is one of the Fallen, an elite band of former warrior angels. When he’s not defending his sire and hunting down fallen angels gone bad, he runs an extremely popular club. The human residents of Moscow love G2’s—it’s a damn sexy club, the sort of place you visit when you’re in the money and feeling very, very lucky. Put on your best dancing clothes, flash your cash, and get ready to bargain very, very hard—because only the select few are allowed inside.

What you think readers will like best about this book: The fantasies. Mischka is a very sensual woman and, like many of us, she has a number of secret fantasies. When she decides to give herself permission to explore those fantasies, watch out! Brends wants to make all of those fantasies come true for her—so there are plenty of extremely sexy scenes in the book.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet:
Two names have been popping to the top of the list: Zer and the archangel Michael. I’d love to write Michael’s story, but next up is Zer.

What’s next:
Next up for me is Zer’s story. The leader of the Fallen, Zer believes he’s way past redemption—so, when he meets a woman who is a potential soul mate, he believes she must be a match for one of his brothers. He doesn’t deserve her and he’s going to run far and fast from his forbidden attraction to her. Zer’s story, His Dark Bond, will be published by Kensington Brava in early 2012.

Do you enjoy stories about fallen angels? Recommend a great fallen angel story for me to add to my To Be Read pile and one commentator will win a $20 Borders gift card.

Do you know about Borders Rewards Plus?

Surrender to an Irish Warrior by Michelle Willingham

Setting: Ireland, 1180

Heroine: Morren Ó Reilly

One sentence summary: A grieving Irish warrior with a thirst for vengeance rescues a wounded woman, and they heal the scars of each other’s past.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
There’s a scene where the hero and heroine are working in the field together to salvage some of the burned harvest grain. Due to rain the night before, they start slipping in the mud. It’s the first time in almost a year that Morren has laughed, and when Trahern carries her to safe ground they share a tender moment.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying:
“Come here and kiss me.”

What celebrity is your hero like: Sam Worthington (Perseus from the remake of “Clash of the Titans”). He’s strong-willed and a fighter.

What celebrity is your heroine like: Liv Tyler (Arwen from Lord of the Rings). She’s endured a horror no woman should have to face, and yet she has the inner strength to overcome it.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing:
Morren is good at making things grow, whether it’s crops or herbs. She has a connection with the land.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing:
Trahern is a bard who travels across Ireland telling stories.

What you think readers will like best about this book:
As the last book in my MacEgan Brothers series, it’s an emotionally-driven story that gives a shocking twist about Trahern’s past. It does stand on its own (any new reader can join in on the story), but I hope readers who have read the other books will enjoy the character reunions to learn what happened to the other romance couples. You can visit my website at http://www.michellewillingham.com to read an excerpt.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet:
Prince Karl from my Accidental series (set in the Victorian era).

What’s next: First, I have a sequel novella called “Pleasured by the Viking” that tells the story of Gunnar, a secondary character from Surrender to an Irish Warrior. It’s available now in e-book form through the Harlequin Historical Undone! imprint. Next, I have a new series of Scottish medieval books coming out in the spring of 2011, beginning with Claimed by the Highlander. It’s a reunion story of a prisoner-of-war who returns to the woman he loved seven years ago and how they rekindle their romance.

The MacEgan Brothers series is set in medieval Ireland, and I spent a week this past summer doing more research there (You can visit my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/michellewillinghamfans to see the photos I took of Ireland, Scotland, and London). Do you have a favorite setting for historical romance? If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Three lucky winners will be selected from the comments for a signed copy of Surrender to an Irish Warrior, a free download of “Pleasured by the Viking” or a $10.00 Borders gift card. Good luck!

Well, aren’t you surprised to see me again? Wires got crossed & lucky you all, here I am

Today, I would like to start the discussion on emotion in romance. There have been a couple of books of late I’ve read that had an emotional level of 300% — you know those books, “WOW, that was something”, as you wipe the tears from your eyes. I’m really not that emotional of a person, but if something really hits the mark, or resonates with me in such a way, those feelings start to take on a life of there own

So! to start, I’d like to tell you about what I’ve almost finished reading, ETERNAL HUNGER by Laura Wright — let me qualify this review by saying, even if you are not a paranormal romance fan, this story has characters you & I adore — the heroes are very tortured, set apart from vampire society. The Roman brothers escaped the world of where they were raised. The culture, their family, did not support them & how they wanted to live their lives. Unfortunately, a threat to the Roman brothers emerges & guidance is needed from the higher power. The thing that sold me on this book was definitely the emotion but also the strong heroine - Sara works in a hospital, psychiatric ward, where her brother is a patient. Sara is a strong women, that cares about her family especially after all they went thru. Sara also feels responsible for the fire that killed her father, sent her mother away & is the reason that she has had to hospitalize her brother. The strength she shows as the book develops is one you can only respect, as does Vampire Alexander, the man who literally sweeps her off her feet. Now, Alexander is a very tortured character who finds a connection with Sara, his soon to be mate. Alex sees her strength & respects her loyalty & commitment to her family & in the end tries to help her heal her brother.

Together these characters fight their own battles but also help each find answers to their own demons. The emotion is huge & you feel the depth of Alexander’s emotion immediately which makes you want to fly thru this book.

Characters readers, don’t miss this -

Another book that I’ve recently read is Maya Banks, THE DARKEST HOUR.. The beginning of a new suspense series, The KGI, Navy Seal, Ethan Kelly, finds out his wife is still alive. After a year of guilt, feeling as if he drove her away from him & their marriage, he receives a message of her being alive & how she can be rescued. All works well & she comes home, however, what Ethan is not prepared for is her memory loss & the guilt that just gets stronger & stronger until he finally faces Rachel with his feelings & the truth. OMG, people, talk about emotion! & does this author know how to make you read until wee hours of the morning — each chapter is a clincher to transcend you into the next — WOW! The reader is literally taken on an emotional roller coaster, so if you like that intensity — read this book.

Robyn Carr’s, PROMISE CANYON, is another one! No surprise there, as Robyn’s Virgin River series has taken us on one big emotional ride — well, in PC you meet a man & woman who are of Native American descent & learn a little about their very traditional cultures & families. The reader understands that partially because of their upbringing these characters are very committed people . . to their families, friends, work & in the end to one another, however, both have had pasts where someone has not felt the same way & has badly hurt them. The story is about being able to overcome the fear that comes with learning to trust someone again .. .. & if you’ve ever been there, it is something that is not easy to do. Robyn does a phenomenal job in portraying these characters & how they overcome their pasts. Need I say, this was a verrrrrrrrrrrrrry emotional book!

I could not find a cover but hopefully you’ll enjoy this picture of the grand canyon

So see where I’m going here? I personally have thought, that this level of emotion I’ve described in these books has been missing in the genre. . . not that you want this commitment in every book you read, but you want there to be strong values, feelings . . help me out here . . . Ladies, where do you want the level of emotion/commitment in your books? What author does that for you?

Comment below, 2 randomly chosen will win Sue’s Stash — Thanks for chatting with me,
SueG

Ck this out:
Dominic of the Dragonseeker Carpathians is on a desperate mission, in the very heart of enemy territory. Solange Sangria is one of the last jaguar people. She has long been fighting to save women who are able to shift from the hands of the man who slaughtered her family. They are two warriors who have lived their lives alone. Now, at the end of their time, they find each other, a complication neither saw coming.

Those of you that are Carpathian fans you know that Christine Feehan excels in the emotional depth she gives her characters — don’t worry about not being in order with this series . . . I have not been consistent but when I pick up her books I want to read & read them all over again. Put her on your list

& what about:
Elite Ops agent Nikolai Steele, code named Renegade, is on a special assignment involving a beautiful woman. But his involvement is about to go beyond the call of duty–and into the realm of dangerous desire.

One thing I look for when reading Lora Leigh is a fast paced, sexy (make me blush kind of sexy) story that makes my day. If you’ve not tried Lora, now is the time to include her on your list.

“New York Times”- and “USA Today”-bestselling author Macomber returns to Cedar Cove in the tenth novel of her beloved series.

WOW — #10 for Debbie? Couldn’t happen to a nicer author — Debbie’s stories are sweet & the characters are endearing . . . these contemporary stories are written about people you & I have met — you’ll be amazed, but, it is best if you start at the beginning with 16 Lighthouse Road.

A bestselling and multiple award-winning author sets her new story in the town of Fool’s Gold . . . where a planned pregnancy and an unplanned proposal will change two people’s lives forever.

This is Book 3 in Susan’s Series & each book is better than the last — you’ll want all 3: Chasing Perfect & Almost Perfect.

Praise for Carly & her second book in her Bachelor Blog Series:
The perfect catch is about to fall for the the one woman he’s always resisted … until now!

Carly’s writing is just fun — great characters, nice pacing — no dragging here! You’ll finish the book before you know it!

A “New York Times”-bestselling author continues her beloved vampire series starring the Argeneau family.

I think this says it all:

The follow-up to “White Heat” continues Novak’s series of romantic suspense featuring Department 6, a small but effective private security company that is investigating the murders of illegal aliens in a small town along the Arizona/Mexico border.

Looking for good Suspense? Brenda delivers — action & romance, you feel like you’re there. A personal favorite.

The author of “Cutting Loose” and “Bending the Rules” wraps up her sizzling Sisterhood Diaries series with this final installment.

Susan heats up the pages in this series — readers who like Susan Elizabeth Phillips will enjoy this Susan too!

& so much more:

BURN , by Linda Howard - Reissue of last years suspenseful Hardcover

GHOST MOON, by Heather Graham - Bk # 3 in Ghost Island Trilogy!

KISS ME KILL ME, by Maggie Shayne - Final book in her back to back suspense trilogy

VIKING TAKES A KNIGHT, by Sandra Hill - Funny historical - Sandra Rocks!

WICKED DELIGHTS OF A BRIDAL BE, by Tracy Ann Warren - Fourth book in the Byrons of Braebourne series

PRIMAL INSTINCTS, by Susan Sizemore - Spin off in Susan’s Paranormal world

MAYBE THIS TIME , by Jennifer Crusie - Jennifer at her bset — a book you won’t want to miss it’s laugh out loud funny!

HAWK, by Monica McCarty - Book 2 in her Highland Guard series - luv’d it!

WHEN BLOOD CALLS, by JK Beck -If you only buy one book, this is it — beginning a new series in a sexy, dangerous other-world - WOW!

JUST ONE TASTE, by Louisa Edwards -Next installment of the Recipe of Love series

MIDNIGHT CRYSTAL, by Jayne Castle - Book 3 in the clever Dreamlight Trilogy

YOU ONLY LOVE ONCE, Caroline Linden -Sexy historical romp!

LAST TO DIE , by Kate Brady - Readers who enjoy Karen Rose will be fans of Kate Brady too.

SEDUCED BY A HIGHLANDER, by Paula Quinn - Just a darn good romance!

MY SOUL TO KEEP , by Sharie Kohler -Book 3 in the Moon Chasers series.

HELLFIRE , by Kate Douglas - Book 2 in the Demonslayers series.

NEVER TRUST ROGUE, by Olivia Drake -Continues with the Crompton Sisters series

For a complete Shopping List, click here

What an exciting week & just in time for Labor Day reading! Tell, me which of these books is a must buy for you & why —- 4 randomly chosen bloggers will win a copy of Crusie’s, MAYBE THIS TIME!

Good luck!

- - - - - - - - - - HOT OFF THE PRESS, NEW! BORDERS PLUS, click here for Details! - - - - - -

These are a few of my favorite things…

I’m so thrilled to be here today on the Borders True Romance blog! It’s my first time here, and I’m excited to spend the day chatting you all. I’m also thrilled for the reason I’m here–winning the Readers’ Crown. (Thank you, RC judges!) My category was filled with wonderful writers and books. I am very honored to have a story of mine listed along with those of so many of my favorite authors (and dear friends).

When I first decided it was time to get serious about my dream of writing romance novels (read: actually sit my butt in the chair and write), I was as green as they come. I wasn’t a member of any writing groups or organizations. I had no idea there were set “rules” or even trends to follow. Not knowing any better, I started out by writing books I wanted to read, without any thought to marketability or genre placement. IN THE FLESH was my second completed manuscript, and it’s a melding of all my favorite things. It’s a book I wrote as a reader, using all the sparkly facets I loved about the romance novels I cut my teeth on. I didn’t know enough about the business to think about how hard it would be to sell the manuscript or how difficult it would be for a publisher to market it. Because of that blissful ignorance and the result of it, IN THE FLESH is a very special book to me.

I used to describe IN THE FLESH as my “historical with gadgets,” but that’s not quite right. It’s a futuristic/high fantasy romance set in a world that feels, in many ways, like a historical–a sheik/desert captive historical, to be more precise. IN THE FLESH has a handsome prince and a dissolute king, a tormented queen and dazzling concubines. It has an old school, ultra-alpha male hero who might have been transplanted from a ‘70s era romance novel, except he’s paired with a kick-ass heroine with modern sensibilities who keeps all that testosterone in its place. There are rolling desert sands and the occasional lush oasis, but there are also sprawling palaces, spaceships, and alternate worlds. My characters and their methods of transportation have Norse/Germanic names, yet they occasionally wear medieval-style clothing. It’s erotic, with star-crossed lovers whose deepest emotional connections happen when they shut out the world at large and surrender to each other. If it sounds a bit “kitchen sink”, well… I warned you. *g* Writing IN THE FLESH was a joy for me as a writer because my inner reader was rooting me on, telling me to add a little more of this and a lot more of that and not to forget this-n-that while I was at it.

So my question for you is this: If you could throw all your favorite romance novel ingredients into a story, what would those ingredients be? Don’t worry about if they’ll work together or fit, just toss them out there. And for being a sport and playing along, I’ll have Sue pick two winners from among those of you who comment. One will win autographed copies of my Dream Guardians books (PLEASURES OF THE NIGHT and HEAT OF THE NIGHT) and one will win an autographed copy of DARK KISSES (which has two stories in it, MISLED and KISS OF THE NIGHT).

I was thrilled when I learned that my historical romance, The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie, won RomCon’s Reader’s Crown in historical. I was very surprised (I saw that list of finalists!), but happy!

I asked readers what they’d like to hear me talk about on this blog, and hands’ down, they requested I talk about Ian Mackenzie and why he is so loved.

When I conceived the series, I wanted to write about the most dark and dangerous men I could think of—rich, powerful, and decadent, they love the best in art, women, whiskey, horses, you name it. They go anywhere they want, and do anything they want. They break all the rules, and no one stops them.

Each brother is a bit obsessed with what interests them, and that obsession manifests itself fully in Ian. I was thinking about autism and started to wonder how even a mildly autistic person, perhaps someone with Asperger’s, had fared before anyone had put a name or diagnosis to the syndrome. In the Victorian age, such a person would be considered eccentric, different, mad, maybe even dangerous.

Ian Mackenzie was born. He’s a tall, handsome hunk of a man, and he knows all about sensuality—in fact he learns it as an art and focuses on getting it just right. His heroine, Beth, doesn’t know what she’s in for. She only knows that Ian is the most intriguing man she’s ever meet, and his determination to have her, even though he claims he doesn’t understand what love it, is both exciting and heartbreaking.

I had to do much research both on Asperger’s Syndrome and how the “mad” were treated in the Victorian age. In Ian’s case, his father gets him locked away in an asylum when he’s ten, both because Ian doesn’t fit into his father’s controlled world, plus Ian knows secrets that his blunt speeches might reveal.

Ian’s brothers, especially the two middle brothers, Mac and Cameron, could do nothing to get him out of the asylum, but they tried to make his time there bearable. The paid him visits and smuggled him cigars, whiskey, and erotic books, trying to make certain that their little brother would grow into a well-rounded man. The day that Ian’s father dies, Hart, the oldest brother, goes to the asylum to bring Ian home.

I did not model Ian from any one person I know; he grew from my research on people with AS. Not all AS people have the same traits, so Ian will not have every single trait associated with AS. I tried to make him as unique and realistic as possible.

Ian has trouble meeting people’s eyes (therefore I couldn’t simply write “His gaze met hers…” No, it didn’t!”). He wanders off conversations or doesn’t respond at all, especially if the topic doesn’t interest him, but he’s very focused on what does interest him. For instance, he collects Ming bowls and can tell a real one from a forgery in a heartbeat. But he collects only *bowls*, not vases, and only of the Ming period. Any other ceramics, he has no clue about.

Ian has trouble with emotions, especially spontaneous ones. For example, he’s not sure why people clap after a performance, but he’s learned to do it when everyone else does. It doesn’t mean he didn’t enjoy the performance; he simply doesn’t equate the response of applause to what he feels.

Likewise, he does not believe he is able to fall in love, but because this is a romance, I and Beth set out to prove him wrong! The entire book is about Ian’s growth, and learning what it is to love another person.

Since the release of Madness of Lord Ian, I’ve received so many letters from readers telling me that Ian reminds me of their own sons, brothers, husbands, friends, children of friends, or students. The outpouring has surprised me—I was fascinated by Ian and wanted him to have a HEA, and it looks like many of my readers did too!

I truly appreciate the response to Lord Ian, and I hope his brothers (who are as obsessed in their own way as Ian), are equally pleasing. Mac’s story came out in July 2010 (Lady Isabella’s Scandalous Marriage), and Cameron and Hart will follow, in that order. (I’m writing the brothers youngest to
oldest.)

To celebrate Madness of Lord Ian’s win, I’m offering a signed copy of the book here to a commenter—and if you’ve already read it, feel free to choose anything else from the books I have out (including Lady Isabella). Simply say hello or talk about why you like heroes who are a little bit different (or why you don’t!)

Thank you so much for loving Ian!

Jennifer Ashley

Captured by Desire – Kira Morgan
Setting: 1500s Scotland
Subgenre: Historical Romance
Hero: Rane MacAllister
Heroine: Florie Gilder

One sentence summary: When the queen’s jeweler, Florie Gilder, claims sanctuary for a crime she didn’t commit, huntsman Rane MacAllister is charged with preventing her escape, leaving him torn between duty and desire when he begins to fall in love with his spirited captive.

Scene you like most and would never cut: When Florie’s time in sanctuary is running out, Florie steals Rane’s bow, threatening to shoot him in order to flee. Rane is forced to trust that her love for him outweighs her desperation, and he disarms her with nothing more than the power of his words and a confession from his heart. That scene can still give me a lump in my throat.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: “Sure, I’ll do whatever you say.”

What celebrity is your hero like: Philip Winchester, star of “Crusoe.” Want a special treat? Check this out:

What celebrity is your heroine like: Winona Ryder, beautiful but mischievous, like a darling elf.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Florie Gilder is apprenticed to her goldsmith stepfather, the jeweler to Mary Queen of Scots.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Rane MacAllister is the sheriff’s huntsman, but he poaches game on the side to feed the poor.

What you think readers will like best about this book: I think readers will enjoy the high-spirited blend of genres. I call Captured by Desire an action-mystery-adventure-comedy-romance.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: I’m hoping it’s Josselin, the spunky little lass at the end of Captured by Desire, because she’s the heroine of my next book, Seduced by Destiny!

What’s next: Seduced by Destiny is coming out next spring!

I like writing about simple folk, people whose names aren’t recorded by history, but whose self-sacrificing actions are nonetheless heroic. Who are the unsung heroes in your life–a favorite teacher, a parent, a kind neighbor?

If you’d like a chance to win the gold vermeil necklace featured on the cover of Captured by Desire, come to www.glynnis.net/KiraMorgan and enter my monthly sweepstakes! And I’d be delighted if you’d friend me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kiramorganauthor .

Today we welcome the finalists from The Readers’ Crown Contest! These talented authors were selected by readers who judged their books as the best in romance fiction.

They will be chatting with us about the stories behind their books, what’s next in their series,
and other fun things, such as what they do when they aren’t writing. The folks at RomCon (www.romconinc.com) will be giving away $10 Borders gift cards to 3 lucky commenters today!

2010 Readers’ Crown Finalists:

Short Contemporary Romance -
Unexpected Gifts by Holly Jacobs
The Sheriff of Horseshoe, Texas by Linda Warren

Her So-Called Fiance by Abby Gaines
No Ordinary Cowboy by Mary Sullivan

Short Contemporary Romantic Suspense/Adventure -

Here Today, Gone to Maui by Carol Snow
Beyond The Code Of Conduct by KM Daughters
Better Than Bulletproof by Kay Thomas
Christmas Guardian by Delores Fossen

Long Contemporary Romance -

Sunset Bay by Susan Mallery
Double Play by Jill Shalvis
Hard & Fast by Erin McCarthy
Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James

Long Contemporary Romantic Suspense/Adventure

Seeing Red by Susan Crandall
Wild Heat by Bella Andre
Defender by Catherine Mann
For the Love of Pete by Julia Harper

Short Historical Romance -

In the Masters Bed by Blythe Gifford
The Conqueror’s Lady by Terri Brisbin
A Storm of Passion by Terri Brisbin
The Viscount Claims His Bride by Bronwyn Scott

Long Historical Romance -

Captive of Sin by Anna Campbell
A Bride in the Bargain by Deeanne Gist
The Lone Texan by Jodi Thomas
To Desire a Devil by Elizabeth Hoyt

Romance Novella -

Weekend Tigress in WINTER HEAT by Jade Lee
This Wicked Gift in THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS by Courtney Milan
My Lady Below Stairs in A CHRISTMAS BALL by Emily Bryan
UNDEAD MAN’S HAND, in Out of the Light, Into the Shadows by Erin McCarthy

Paranormal Romance -

Finding the Lost by Shannon K Butcher
Burning Alive by Shannon K Butcher
My Forbidden Desire by Carolyn Jewel
Ties That Bind by Keena Kincaid

Urban Fantasy with Romantic Elements -

Tainted by Julie Kenner
Witch Fury by Anya Bast
Amazon Ink by Lori Devoti
Bound by Sin by Jenna Maclaine

Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Futuristic/Time-Travel Romance -

Beyond the Rain by Jess Granger
The Hunt by Anne Marsh
A Highlander of Her Own by Melissa Mayhue
Lord of the Highlands by Veronica Wolff

Erotic Romance -

Mona Lisa Darkening by Sunny
Beloved Vampire by Joey Hill
Into the Lair by Maya Banks
Sweet Persuasion by Maya Banks

Best First Book -

The Hunt by Anne Marsh
Knight of Desire by Margaret Mallory
Mistress by Mistake by Susan Gee Heino
Mastering the Marquess by Vanessa Kelly

& now the Winners:

Short Contemporary Romance Winner - Abby Gaines! for The Groom Came Back

Short Contemporary Romantic Suspense/Adventure Winner - Sheri Whitefeather for Protecting Their Baby

Long Contemporary Romance Winner is Carly Phillips for Lucky Break!

Long Contemporary Romantic Suspense/Adventure Winner is Cindy Gerard for Whisper No Lies

Short Historical Romance Winner is Robyn DeHart for Seduce Me!

Long Historical Romance Winner is Jennifer Ashley & The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie

Romance Novella Winner is Sophia Nash & Four Dukes and a Devil in CATCH OF THE CENTURY

Paranormal Romance Winner is Jory Strong for Ghostland

Urban Fantasy with Romantic Elements Winner is SJ Day for Eve of Darkness

Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Futuristic/Time-Travel Romance Winner is Sandra Hill & Viking Heat

Erotic Romance Winner is Livia Dare for In the Flesh

Best First Book Winner is Mary Sullivan for No Ordinary Cowboy

Starting on August 15, 2010, we’ll have visits from each of the contest’s winners–so be sure to stop back by!

So, tell us know, which of these marvelous authors are you anxious to try? One random commenter will win a $10 Borders Gift Card — start now!

Happy Romance!

HIS DAKOTA CAPTIVE (Jenna Kernan)
Setting: Dakota Territory 1884
Subgenre: Western Historical
Hero: Sky Fox
Heroine: Lucie West

One sentence summary: Former Sioux captive returns to the Dakota Territory to try and make peace with her past but is taken hostage by another former captive, who is determined to secure her help in saving an innocent man from the hangman’s noose.
Scene you like most and would never cut: Their first meet is pretty spectacular with lots of prickling awareness that Lucie has learned to heed and that drives her to run from the threat she knows Sky poses.
I also love the scene when Sky finally gets her alone (after kidnapping her) to deliver a message from the Sioux warrior who once captured her, explaining that he wants her back. Sky gets an earful, including the revelation that she hates her captor for not letting her go before she was ruined and for saving her from slavery so that she is indebted to him for her life.
The scene where Sky Fox finally reveals why he had to flee from his tribe and return to the white world is a very moving and powerful one as well.
But my personal favorite is when Sky calls Lucie beautiful. Lucie’s chin was tattooed during her captivity so anyone who looks at her knows exactly what befell her. She believes the fang-like marks have destroyed her chance to put the past behind her and rejoin the white world. But Sky does not come from that world, having been raised as the adopted son of a Sioux warrior, so he truly feels the marks enhance her beauty. She calls what she believes is his bluff with a challenge that if he finds her so appealing why won’t he kiss her? He does, and in that moment they are both lost…and found.
Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: At the beginning of the story, Lucie would never, under any circumstances, ever return to the Sioux warrior who once held her captive. But later she does just that. I love setting a character up to do something that runs totally against their grain. But I don’t want to give too much away…
What celebrity is your hero like: Picture Hugh Jackman with Paul Newman’s stunning blue eyes. Pretty picture, no?
What celebrity is your heroine like: Reese Witherspoon with strawberry blonde hair. I also picture Kate Hudson looking something like Lucie West.
What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Her facial tattoos make work a challenge, to say the least. Lucie has taken a job as a matron at an Indian School, where she hopes to find acceptance and meaningful work. But that doesn’t go quite as planned…
What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Sky captures wild mustangs, trains and trades them. At this time in history many thought that killing mustangs was a quick and easy way to make Sioux Indians stay put, so Sky is in this business to try to save a tiny part of the world that is dying before his eyes.
What do you think readers will like best about this book: I think readers will enjoy seeing two people, who have led very difficult lives, finally find someone who can love and understand them and who they can love.
The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: The hands-down, most requested follow-up story has been for Lucie West. My readers loved her parents’ struggle to recover her in High Plains Bride and became very worried over what became of Lucie. So I hope they will be pleased with her story. After that, my most popular character has to be Nicholas Chien, the shape-shifting playboy timber wolf from my first paranormal romance, Dream Stalker. Nick will have his own story in March of 2011 from Silhouette Nocturne. I’m not sure of the title yet, so readers will have to check my website at www.jennakernan.com for more on that.

What’s next: When a lady’s companion finds herself facing prison over a crime she did not commit, her flight lands her in the household of a small town sheriff who has mistaken her for the housekeeper he is expecting to give his daughter a real old fashioned Christmas…but she can’t cook! Western Winter Wedding Bells, Harlequin Historicals Christmas Anthology is out in October 2010.

And for reader discussion: Who is your favorite Western TV or movie character: Clint in The Outlaw Josey Wales, Gary Cooper in High Noon, Michael Landon as Little Joe Cartwright, maybe Rodney A. Grant in Dancing With Wolves or Sam Elliot in ANYTHING? Perhaps you like unique characters like Dustin Hoffman in Little Big Man, Morgan Freeman in Unforgiven or Al Swearengen in the series Deadwood.

Let me know because I’ll GIVEAWAY three FREE books to randomly chosen responders!

Setting: Georgian London (1730’s)
Subgenre: Historical Romance
Hero: Lazarus Huntington, Lord Caire
Heroine: Temperance Dews

One sentence summary: A mysterious aristocrat enlists the aid of an impoverished widow to hunt for a killer in the slums of St. Giles.

Scene you like most and would never cut: Weeelll, there’s a rather shocking scene that takes place in a seedy bordello.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: Yes, my lord.

What celebrity is your hero like: This is going to sound odd, but he reminds me of Jason Isaacs playing Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies. Only, you know, not so evil.

What celebrity is your heroine like: Temperance is very reserved and practical, but there’s a lot going on underneath the surface. Perhaps Elizabeth Moss.

What is your heroine’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Temperance manages a home for orphans in the slum of St. Giles.

What is your hero’s occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Lord Caire is an aristocrat, so naturally he doesn’t have to do anything so debasing as make money, but he does enjoy translating Roman poems—the more risqué ones, of course.

What you think readers will like best about this book: I think they’ll like the clash of personalities and ideals between Temperance and Lazarus, and the mystery and excitement of the chases through the London slums.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Believe it or not, I’ve already gotten mail about Temperance’s brother, Winter Makepeace. People, the first book just came out!

What’s next: In February 2011 I continue the story of Maiden Lane with Notorious Pleasures. The heroine is Lady Hero Batten who has just become engaged to the perfect man…and then she meets his imperfect rake of a brother.

Wicked Intentions is the first book in my new Maiden Lane series. What is your all-time favorite romance series? I’ll be giving away the first two books in my last series, To Taste Temptation and To Seduce a Sinner, to one lucky commenter!