trueromance

Tall….6’1”….check.

Smart….you bet….check.

Chris Winters is a TV-Film guy/techno-jock who makes the A-list for Borders True Romance, Reader’s Entertainment Group, and Between Your Sheets. Born in Virginia and currently living in LA, this 2008 Mr. Romance can be seen in TV and movie cameos, biking or running around the city, appearing at events, or sometimes on various websites.

What do romance readers want to know about Chris?

Has being Mr. Romance helped you in achieving any of your Hollywood goals?
I think anything you do adds a step to achieving any kind of goals in life. I have had, very interestingly, someone mention it on a red carpet event before. I started recently using it more to bring the awareness.

Has being a cover model added romance to your relationships or has it actually been a detriment?
Well, I do not think being a cover model of anything will add or take away romance from an individual because a person should love someone for who they are inside. I know me just being me adds a lot to romance, or anything else for that matter. Romance is defined on respect, communication, and love for the other person.

Where do you hope to be in your career in the next two years?
Well, I do have a few people pushing me that are successful working actors, so I will be having a great year in the middle or end of 2010. I remember in 2005 a lot of things happened within that year and it was the same time. I’ve done a lot in Hollywood since my arrival two years ago. I have to thank my fans for that as well for keeping up with me.

If you could go back in history and become anyone he wanted, who would that be?
That’s a really tough question. I would imagine the person I could possibly be would be Abraham Lincoln. He has his own personal issues along with doing something really great in his life. One true hero.

If you could choose to be any character in a book for a film, which character would it be?
This is another tough question. Off the bat, I would imagine Darth Vader from the Star Wars movies. I always loved that character!

What Chris wants you to know about him?
I can honestly say I do love life. I thank God everyday for another chance to breathe again. I am the type of guy who you will meet and walk away smiling, knowing that I am down-to-earth.

I am a free spirited individual who believes in living life to the fullest and laughter is the start of everything. I enjoy many things in life. This ranges from eating, running in parks, solving challenging problems, to spending some time with someone. They say life is too short, but I always ask: “What else is longer?” Life shouldn’t be measured in time, but the time you enjoy with it.

Here are the following fun filled facts:

I am very goal oriented and determined but I have a weakness for chocolate and other sugary things.
I like a stimulating conversation, this can range from fractual functions to macrophages; or the uvula!
I love Xbox 360. I only like a few select games that have a storyline.
I like parks– especially Pan Pacific in Los Angeles, next to The Grove (it was featured on Miracle Mile and actor Brian Thompson was on it. I worked with him. The park is pretty cool at night, while running).
I like Peanut butter, and most common things everybody else likes. Ladybugs come to mind.
I DO NOT fold clean laundry. Hate it. I use it for my ultimate Hamster Nest. My Hamster Nest is when you sleep on various clothing articles.
I like snakes, snails, spiders, and scary movies. Yeah, I am NOT AFRAID to get my hands dirty, muddy, or tear up my shoes! I will also rub your feet.
I like various music. However, I really like Indie music that no one else listens to.
I really, super love, swing sets! If you want to feel young again, that is the place.
Midnight blue or blue that resembles late, starry night. Romantic and euphoric.

So let’s give a shout out for this talented, humorous guy who is determined to make it to the top and to take all of his friends with him because success for Chris is all about the heart. Hear him on the March 9th on Canned Laughter and Coffee with Renee Bernard and learn why this is a swinging Mr. Romance, http://www.blogtalkradio.com/circle-of-seven/2010/03/10/canned-laughter-and-coffee.

Update: Here’s the interview!

Learn more about Chris at Between your Sheets.com

Setting: St. Dennis, Maryland, on the Chesapeake Bay
Subgenre: Contemporary romance
Hero: Grady Shields
Heroine: Vanessa Keaton

One sentence summary of Coming Home:
A lonely widower and a divorcee, both haunted by their pasts, find that when it comes to love, never say never.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
I can’t choose just one - sorry! – but I loved:
~ the scene where Vanessa is baking cookies for Mia and Beck’s wedding and Mia sends Grady to give her a hand, and they both realize that the impressions they’d had of each other were completely wrong;
~ the scene where Vanessa explains to Grady how her life changed after she arrived in St. Dennis and why Hal is the father she never had;
~ the scene where the realtor is showing Vanessa the house she ends up buying.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying:
Hey big fella, how ‘bout you just sit there and let me wait on you while you tell me what to wear, what to do, and how to do it?

Your hero, is he a boxer or brief kind of guy: Boxer. Maybe.

Ancillary character you had the most fun with:
No contest! Steffie Wyler, Vanessa’s best friend, was a lot of fun.
And I ended up LOVING Grace Sinclair, a 70-something woman who’s lived in St. Dennis all her life and runs the local paper, and is the author of the diary entries that appear here and there throughout the book.

Your heroine’s favorite hobby:
Dressing the windows of her pretty shop, Bling.

Your hero’s favorite hobby:
Back-packing in the Rockies.

What you think readers will like best about this book:
I think readers will love the characters – both Grady and Vanessa have had to weather some pretty heavy emotional storms but each found a way to land on their feet. But there are so many others – Hal Garrity, Vanessa’s surrogate father, and Steffie, her best friend, and all the others who gather for coffee at Cuppachino in the early mornings before they disperse to go about their business. I also think readers will love the town of St. Dennis, which is a character in itself – it’s a small Bay town that’s just recently started to become a tourist attraction, and is experiencing some growing pains with the influx of new businesses and lots of visitors. I loved this town when I first wrote about it in LAST WORDS, and could not wait to revisit it again.
I think readers will love seeing Vanessa and Grady fall in love and finding their happily ever after. There’s one place in the story where Vanessa is confessing to Grady that when she was little, she really believed in fairy tales and happily ever afters and romance, but she doesn’t anymore. I’m paraphrasing here, but he tells her that he still does, and she questions that: How can you believe in still finding your princess after what happened to you – and he says, “Wrong princess.”
I think that pretty much sums up the feeling we all have when things haven’t gone well in a relationship – the feeling that there’s still hope of finding that one person who’s going to be the right one for you.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet:
For the past few years, it’s been a tie between Grady Shields and Jack McGowan. Grady’s finally getting his happy ending. Jack…well, he’s still among the missing!

What’s next:
Book two in the Chesapeake Diaries series – HOME AGAIN – will be out in October (I think the date is 9/28). This is a book that’s been in the back of my mind for a long time – since I did the re-write of my second book, A DIFFERENT LIGHT, which Pocket reissued in January of this year with a gorgeous new cover. It’s hard to believe that I wrote that book back in 1994! There was a character in that book who was spoken of but was never actually on the page. Her name was Dallas MacGregor, and she was the college sweetheart of the heroine’s late husband. In A DIFFERENT LIGHT, Dallas had gone to LA to become a movie star. Over the years, readers would ask me about her – had she ever found happiness with someone else? When I started writing COMING HOME, Dallas kept popping back into my head, and I knew that she belonged in St. Dennis, that this was the town where she spent all her summers before heading west. Of course, she would have had a summer love – and I knew right away that that had to have been Grant Wyler – Steffie’s brother.
So that’s how it goes…one little idea grows eventually into a Big Idea, and before you know it, you have another book in your head that wasn’t there yesterday!
After HOME AGAIN, will be ALMOST HOME – Steffie’s book. I think once you’ve read COMING HOME, you’ll know who her hero will be. This one is scheduled for the spring of 2011 – April or May, as far as I know now.

Many of you know that for the past ten years, I’ve written romantic suspense – nineteen books, actually! But did you know that I wrote seven contemporary romances before I turned to the dark side with VOICES CARRY? Now, I love writing suspense – but after nineteen books, the research required to write all those psychotic villains was starting to get to me – and it started to get to my daughters, too, since they never got to leave the house without a lecture when they were in high school! “Call me before you leave the party so I’ll know when to expect you.” “If a car is following you and it has a flashing light on, put on your emergency flashers and drive slowly to the nearest police station…or dial 911 and give your name and location and tell them someone’s following you and you want to know if it’s legit before you pull over.” They tell me now that I drove them NUTS back then!
But in the midst of the dark times our family experienced last year – losing not only my dad, but my brother as well – I found I needed to go to a happier place in my writing. Re-writing A DIFFERENT LIGHT reminded me why I loved writing romance so much. When I asked my editor what she thought of me returning to my kinder, gentler roots, she very enthusiastically gave me a green light. The new series will be very much like the books I used to write, with the focus on relationships, not just between the hero and the heroine, but their families and their friends – books that center on the importance of home and community, and that explore the power of love in all its varied forms and all its possibilities.
I can’t seem to help myself from adding a little bit of mystery to the pot, but I’ve always been big on blending – contemporary romance with women’s fiction with a little mystery. This new series even blends characters from several of my old series. Grady Shields first appeared in my DEAD books. We met Vanessa Keaton in LAST WORDS. Even Grace Sinclair has made a previous appearance – in the epilogue for ACTS OF MERCY – the third book in the MERCY STREET series - as the childhood friend of Trula Comfort (who will be visiting St. Dennis soon). And of course, there’s Dallas MacGregor from A DIFFERENT LIGHT. Throughout the series, you’ll meet old friends as well as new.

I’m really excited about the Chesapeake Diaries – COMING HOME was an absolute joy to write, and in some ways, felt like coming home for me. But I’m curious – how do you, as a reader, feel about writers switching genres? Are you disappointed when an author writes a book – or books – that are very different from what you’ve become accustomed to? Inquiring minds want to know!

GIVEAWAY: Mariah Stewart mugs to 3 lucky commenter’s!

Something About You by Julie James

Setting: Chicago
Subgenre: Contemporary romance (with a suspense subplot)
Hero: Jack Pallas
Heroine: Cameron Lynde

One sentence summary: When Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Lynde witnesses a high-profile murder in the hotel room next to hers, she is reunited with her former colleague, Special Agent Jack Pallas, and the two of them must put aside their past conflicts and work together to catch the killer… before the killer finds Cameron first.

Scene you like most and would never cut: A love scene between the hero and heroine that takes place at a wedding. I think the dynamics and dialogue in that scene show how much their relationship has changed from the beginning of the book, where they *think* they can’t stand each other.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: “These are lovely, but I already have enough shoes.”

What celebrity is your hero like: Jason Bourne or a taller, darker version of Jack Bauer. (Technically not celebrities, I know, but that’s who I thought of.)

What celebrity is your heroine like: Eva Green’s character in Casino Royale, Vesper Lynd. (Yep, I even borrowed the last name.)

What is your heroine’s occupation: She’s the top Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.

What is your hero’s occupation: He’s an FBI Special Agent. And I’m pretty sure he can kill people with his thumb.

What you think readers will like best about this book: The humor and the interplay between the hero and heroine. Jack is basically Jason Bourne dumped into a romantic comedy. He’s all dark and scowling and trying the save the day, while everyone else around him is cracking jokes. As for Cameron, she’s got her act together, and thinks she has her life figured out, until she’s at the wrong place at the wrong time and witnesses a murder that unexpectedly brings Jack back into her life.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: Jeremy, Jason’s best friend in Just the Sexiest Man Alive. The challenge with writing Jeremy’s story, however, would be in keeping Jason from dominating every scene. As the world’s biggest movie star, Jason tends to think the spotlight should be on him.

What’s next: I’m currently finishing up my fourth book, about a wealthy wine store owner who agrees to pose as the girlfriend of an undercover FBI agent (as part of a sting operation) in exchange for her twin brother’s release from prison.

Question of the Day and giveaway: Oh, the pressure to come up with a challenging, thought-provoking question…. how about this: Do you have different expectations of heroes and heroines in contemporary romances versus other subgenres? Two randomly-chosen people who leave a comment below will win a copy of Something About You. And I’ll be dropping by throughout the day to answer any questions!
More information about Julie James and her books can be found at www.juliejames.com.

Well, because they just are! I mean, men, who have that kind of drive & focus, that want to fight for their country for their families & others, is such an unselfish act that there is no other word that describes them — it is heroism at its grandest!

Ok, here is where I have to tell you - - - I’m NOT a writer, not aspiring to be one, never wanted to be one - - - I’m a reader & bookseller. The reason I am clarifying this now is so when you read this post you’ll have expectations for the writing of an un-published writer - - - now you’ll know what to expect & won’t be disappointed

So, back to my Military men . . . many authors have chosen to write this sub-genre in romance & I salute them for doing so & for doing it so well. Romance authors portray these men as the heroes they are: Robyn Carr in Virgin River - & what about Paradise Valley when Rick returns home from war?

Stephanie Tyler is rockin the romance world with her new series beginning with Hard To Hold, Navy Seals at their finest!

Suzzane Brockmann was one of the authors that really set the stage for me: Unsung Hero with Tom Paoletti; Ken Karmody in Out of Control ; & my favorite with Lt Tom Starrett in Gone Too Far. Suz’s Troubleshooters have all found a spot in our hearts.

Military romances introduce us to a world we don’t even know - - - giving us a glimpse of impossible military situations & an authors point of view of how to get them out of it - - - & makes us think, and maybe even put ourselves into those situations wondering how the heck to get out of it!

When Military heroes come home from war, there is nothing better. Julia London’s, Summer of Two Wishes, was an emotional tear-jerker that delivered all a good romance should. As an escaped POW, Finn comes back from duty to find his wife has remarried during his long absence - - - Julia tells us both sides of the story . . . how Finn decides to get his wife back & how Macy really wants to come back to her first love but is torn by the love of her current husband . . . sigh. . . . this is why we read & love romance!

I also find reading about the Military, especially now, as kind of a tribute to our soldiers, and/or the Military unto itself. I am in awe of those men & women who will put their lives on the line for their country - - - even when at times, I feel like we (collective we) don’t show the appreication they deserve. It makes me more aware of these great men & women so when I see them at the airport on leave, I’ll walk up to them shake their hand, smile & say thank you & God Bless.

Bottom line, putting all that aside, as important as these occupations are & how revered they should be to all American citizens . . . our authors do a darn good job of writing these stories, creating the sexiest of heroes making these books the most fun to read! Thanks ladies!!

So, tell us, why do you read Military romances? Who are some of your favorites?
Thanks for having me blog today & please stop by Borders True Romance Blog, www.bordersblog.com/trueromance and romancerollcall.com & comment today — you may be chosen for a free book!

Happy Romance

Check out this great site where we’ll be posting comments as well — Romance Roll Call

(Hi, my name is Tiffany. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to do a guest blog entry!)

Thinking about the first romance novel I ever read led me to wonder how and why I picked up that particular book when I did. Once I started thinking, I discovered the novel was simply a natural progression in my reading development.

Love and happily-ever-after were elements I always enjoyed in my books long before I knew an entire genre dedicated to them existed. Before I started kindergarten, I would spout out passages from Sleeping Beauty, my favorite story, as I looked at the detailed pictures. When I learned to read, there was no stopping me from attempting to find books that ended with “and they lived happily ever after.” Luckily, the school librarian was amazing and had an excellent and diverse taste in children’s books. Through her selected readings, I discovered something truly astounding; the fairytales I knew and loved could be retold in new settings, with different characters, and fresh elements. To this day, I feel the same awe and happiness remembering the librarian’s animated voice depicting the alternate Cinderella tales of The Rough Face Girl and The Egyptian Cinderella.

It was the beginning of my addiction to reading about different cultures and histories. I started checking out books on Greek and Roman myths, Native America tales, Asian folklore, and Arthurian legend. Meanwhile, my love for fairytales and magic had morphed into a love of fantasy. From The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye to Patricia C. Wrede’s Searching For Dragons (my favorite in the series because of the romance), fantasy novels held a special place in my heart. One element common in all the stories I crowned as my favorites was a strong female character. Monica Furlong’s Juniper in particular sticks out in my head as a story with a truly exceptional princess.

My taste in movies and television were a running parallel to the books I read. Belle was my favorite princess of the Disney movies. Not only did she have brunette hair like me, but she loved to read stories about far away places and longed to know more about life than what simply surrounded her. Then, there was my all time favorite storyline of my mother’s soap, All My Children. A poor princess arrives in town, and marries a man she believes to be rich for money. The man, who is actually poor, marries her, believing she is wealthy. The only people they were fooling were each other, but the rest of the characters in the story had a big laugh, seeing how much the two obviously loved each other. Of course, drama ensued, but I have yet to hear a more endearing “princess” from the lips of any man.
Love was very much in my life of fairytales and stories of make-believe and of strong women made their own decisions and followed through the consequences. So, when I eventually found myself staring at a box of my mother’s old romance novels, it doesn’t really come as a surprise. Having a busy high school schedule, I opted for the smaller books–the ones with the deep red spines and italicized writing. I ended up choosing the following two Silhouette Desire books: Donna Carlisle’s It’s Only Make Believe and Diana Palmer’s Lady Love. The titles almost sounded familiar. I don’t remember exactly why I picked Lady Love first, it could have been the name of the heroine (Merlyn Forrest Steele) or the beautiful girl who looked like a princess on the cover (reminding me of a certain cover of The Ordinary Princess), but whatever the reason I picked Lady Love as my first genre romance.

Ten years later, I am still reading romance. I enjoy many sub-genres and authors. Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypas, and Meredith Duran are my current favorite historical authors. For my paranormal romance authors, I look for world building as a big key for my enjoyment and found Nalini Singh and Sherrilyn Kenyon have made me want to live in their worlds more than once. Julie James, Jennifer Crusie, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips are my must buys for contemporary. And looking at the authors I love today, I can see traces of the stories I first loved and read–strong (and sometimes stubborn) female characters, adventure, different cultures and worlds, love, detailed side-characters, humor, and, of course, a happily ever after.

Looking back at what first interested you in reading and/or reading romance, can you see how you got to where you were? Or, can you see how what started your love is still present in the books and stories you read now?


Comment below & SueG will choose a random winner for a stash of fun reads! Happy Romance!

How To Buy A Novel From A New Romance Author
(funny enough, it’s the same way a literary agent decides to sign a new romance writer client!)
By Kristin Nelson www.nelsonagency.com

Last week I was chatting with my sister by phone. She’s an avid romance reader but for some reason, she always gravitates for her tried and true favorite authors. This is something I always chastise her about! Sure, it’s nice to support your favorites but how are you going to discover a new writer who might quickly become part of your tried and true list if you don’t buy a novel from someone new?
Sound like you? Well, don’t worry, I won’t chastise you but I am going to encourage you to take a chance and buy a new romance author this week.
But how to go about it? After all, the economy is tight. Who wants to waste money on buying a new author only to discover about a third of the way in that this author simply isn’t your cup of tea. Ack. You could have bought a Starbucks Latte instead and trust me, I sympathize with you. I’ve read any number of novels by published romance authors that I couldn’t finish and wished I had saved my money.
Well, the process of discovering a new author and having a pretty good idea of whether you’ll like the rest of the novel is pretty much the same process that I use as an agent when I’m reading our submission pile and looking to sign a new author.
The test is in a strong beginning. If the opening pages capture you, chances are good it’s a novel you won’t end up putting down and regret buying.
And I’m going to share with you the opening pages of some of my debut romance authors who have newly published in the last four years. What’s even better? These are the opening pages from their unpublished manuscripts before the novels were published. That’s almost never shared!
Don’t forget, Borders Buy 4 Get the 5th FREE promo is going on now so that will help you budget & try these new authors!

Let’s start with newish author Sherry Thomas. Her historical romance debut PRIVATE ARRANGMENTS , came to me on submission under the title Schemes of Love. Here is the opening:
London
May, 1893
Only one kind of marriage ever bore the haut ton’s stamp of approval.
Happy marriages were considered vulgar, as matrimonial felicity rarely kept longer than a well-boiled pudding. Unhappy marriages were, of course, even more vulgar, on a par with Frau Von Teese’s special contraption that spanked forty bottoms at once: unspeakable, for half of the ton having experienced it firsthand.
No, the only kind of marriage that held up to life’s vicissitudes was the courteous marriage. And it was widely recognized that Lord and Lady Tremaine had the most courteous marriage of them all.
In the ten years since their wedding, neither of them had ever uttered an unkind word about the other, not to parents, siblings, bosom friends, or strangers. Moreover, as their servants could attest, they never had spats, big or small, never embarrassed each other, never, in fact, disagreed on anything at all.
However, every year, some cheeky debutante fresh from the schoolroom would point out–as if it wasn’t common knowledge–that Lord and Lady Tremaine lived on separate continents, and had not been seen together since the day after their wedding.
Her elders would shake their heads. Foolish young girl. Wait till she heard about her beau’s piece on the side. Or fell out of love with the man she married. Then she’d understand what a wonderful arrangement the Tremaines had: civility, distance, and freedom from the very beginning, unencumbered by tiresome emotions. Indeed, it was the most perfect marriage.
Therefore, when Lady Tremaine filed for divorce on grounds of Lord Tremaine’s adultery and desertion, chins collided with dinner plates all over London’s most pedigreed dining rooms. Ten days later, as news circulated of Lord Tremaine arrival on English soil, for the first time in a decade, the same falling jaws dented many an expensive carpet from the heart of Persia.
The story spread like a well-fed gut. It went something tantalizingly like this. A summon came at the Tremaine townhouse on Park Lane. Goodman, Lady Tremaine’s faithful butler, answered the bell. On the other side of the door stood a stranger, one of the most remarkable-looking gentlemen Goodman had ever come across, tall, handsome, powerfully built, an imposing presence.
“Good afternoon, sir,” Goodman began placidly. A representative of the Marchioness of Tremaine, however impressed, neither gawked nor gushed.
He expected to be offered a calling card and a reason for the call. Instead he was given the gentleman’s headgear. Startled, he let go of his hold on the doorknob and took the satin-trimmed top hat. In that instant, the man walked past him into the vestibule. Without a backward glance or an explanation for this act of intrusion, he began pulling off his gloves.
“Sir,” Goodman huffed. “You do not have permission from the lady of the house to enter.”
The man turned around, and shot Goodman a glance that, to the butler’s shame, made him want to curl up and whimper. “Is this not the Tremaine residence?”
“It is, sir.” The reiteration of “sir” escaped Goodman, though he hadn’t intended for it to happen.
“Then kindly inform me, since when does the master of the house require permission from the lady to enter into his own domain?” The man had removed his gloves. He held them together in his right hand, and slapped them quietly against the palm of his left hand, as if he were toying with a riding crop.
Goodman didn’t understand. His employer was the Queen Elizabeth of her time: one mistress and no master. Then the horror dawned. The man before him was the Marquis of Tremaine, her long-absent, good-as-dead husband and heir to the Duke of Fairford.

I have a feeling that you’ll either love this opening and the play of language or it’s not going to be your cup of tea. Sherry has a very strong voice and a beautiful way with words but as you can tell from this opening, the reader has to work just a bit to get all the subtle, dry wit. As an agent, I had just never read a romance novel that had begun in this type of way. I was immediately intrigued and had to read more.

Courtney Milan’s debut PROOF BY SEDUCTION is another great example of a strong opening . Her voice is much more light-hearted. Readers looking for a romp with more complicated characters than the average romance novel will probably be drawn to this opening. If it doesn’t resonate for you, then you probably don’t need to plunk down the cash (which would be much to my dismay!).

Chapter One
London, 1836.
Gareth had lost himself in his naturalist’s journal. The pages were ivory with age and black with rough ink drawings. But in his mind’s eye, the spindly sketches transformed into verdant jungle foliage lit by the scarlet breasts of a family of jungle macaws.
Somewhere, his senses registered the rustle of paper, the play of light and shadow across the pages, and the draft of a door opening. Engrossed as he was in his work, Gareth had no attention to spare for the frivolous details of reality.
That, of course, had never stopped reality.
“Blakely!”
The shout burst through his concentration, puncturing his bubble of scientific enjoyment. Gareth jumped and dropped his pen. Ink spattered all over the chart he’d painstakingly constructed, and he looked up in irritation.
His study reappeared around him with sudden, savage focus. Account books were stacked chaotically along the edge of his desk, and a collection of leather-bound volumes lined the walls. It took Gareth three pounding heartbeats to orient himself to the abrupt appearance of another person. His cousin, Ned, lanky as only a youth just out of adolescence could be, waved a hand in front of Gareth’s face.
Gareth grimaced at the reminder that he was no longer just Gareth.
He was Gareth Carhart, the Marquess of Blakely. And he had responsibilities.
Mr. Edward Carhart was one of them.
“Ned. Why were you not announced?” Gareth blew out an exasperated breath and prodded the inky mess on his desk. “I’ve been working on this for hours.”
“Your butler did announce me,” Ned said. “Twice.”
Had Gareth been that immersed in his work? The sunlight filtering through the gap in his heavy gold curtains was that of late morning. The rays fell on a tray that his housekeeper had left as a not-so-gentle reminder to eat. Gareth hadn’t paid it any attention, and the soup had long since congealed.
“Handkerchief,” Gareth muttered, patting his pockets. “Where did I put my handkerchief?”
Finding no cloth-shaped lumps, he unknotted his cravat and pulled the linen from his neck. He dabbed at the droplets sprayed across the map. Under his efforts, the neat black blobs of ink strewn across the page transformed into smeared black blobs of ink.
Damn it.
He tossed the ruined cloth on the desk and tried to quell his resentment when he looked up at his cousin. “Well? What the devil are you doing here?”
There was no point offering Ned a seat. He could hardly call the chairs crowded around his desk “available,” cluttered as they were with piles of books and papers. Besides, the youth wouldn’t be staying long. Gareth would make sure of that.
Ned drew a deep breath. “We have plans for today.”
Gareth narrowed his eyes to suspicious slits. “We have plans for today? What are we doing? And why was I not informed?”
Ned pulled at his collar and looked away.
Gareth sighed. Ned was officially Gareth’s heir. But if the boy ever had to take over the duties of the estate, British high society would devour him like the swarming piranhas they were. Oh, he had to give his cousin credit. Ned tried to pull off an air of casual indifference. But indifference had never satisfied the responsibilities of the marquessate. The Marquess of Blakely had to be better than everyone else. And on that point, Ned failed utterly.
“Come now, Ned. Stand up straight and stop studying the carpet. There. That’s better. Now, what have you to say for yourself?”
Ned took a few short, shallow breaths, as if for courage. “I came here—I came here to say something to you.” His next words came out all in a rush. “I’ve decided, as befits our stations in life, we are getting married.”
Gareth raised an eyebrow. “We are?”
A tentative answering nod.
Easy enough to dispose of that line of thinking. “Well, Mr. Carhart. I’m quite flattered, but I don’t think we should suit.”
Ned’s mouth fell open, and Gareth nodded with a twinge of satisfaction. But despite the red flush in his cousin’s cheeks, the young man took a step closer and placed his hands on the desk.
“Not to each other! And stop trying to put me off. To women.” Ned thumped the oak desk for emphasis. “Damn it, Blakely. If I have to marry, then you do, too.”

As an agent, I just laughed aloud at this opening scene. I have a really clear sense of both Gareth and Ned and I’m interested in why they both need to marry and how exactly this is going to unfold. The published novel actually has a different opening. With the above, readers don’t catch a glimpse of our heroine, Jenny. The published novel opens with a scene that immediately follows this one when Ned introduces Gareth to “fortune teller” Jenny for the very first time. She makes a “prediction” that he’ll marry before the year is out the then the game of wits begins. It’s a bit more dynamic yet still has that fun but sardonic tone.

As contemporary romance goes, nothing beats Jana DeLeon and the opening of her very first romance RUMBLE ON THE BAYOU . This opening scene is so just so fabulous. I’m immediately dropped into a small, Southern Louisiana town with a host of interesting characters. Since I’ve lived in big cities my whole life, I find such a setting irresistibly charming.

Chapter One
“This day just keeps getting better.” Deputy Dorie Berenger stared at the alligator in front of her. It had to be the swimming pool.
Why anyone below sea level and not even a mile from the Gulf of Mexico would install an in-ground pool was beyond her. Even the houses in Gator Bait, Louisiana sat on fifteen-foot stilts. An in-ground pool was just asking for trouble.
And trouble was just what they had.
The pool owner, Maylene Thibodeaux, bulged out of a lawn chair next to the structure of cloudy water, jug in hand, wearing a pink bikini and sitting in stoned silence. Which was rare when you considered her usual mouthiness, but understandable since it was almost evening and she had probably been at happy hour since before noon.
Dorie stepped right up to the pool’s edge and studied the alligator more closely. He was a good-sized one, probably ten or twelve feet and currently floating like the dead in the center of the pool with what looked like a backpack hanging out of his mouth. His eyes were half-closed, as if he would drop off into sleep at any moment.
“What do you think?” Deputy Joe Miller asked. Joe had been the first to arrive at Maylene’s, but had immediately called for backup. This one was definitely out of his league.
Dorie blew out a breath. “I think this is not my usual fare. What about Curtis? This is his specialty.”
“I tried. He’s still on a call at the shrimp house. Turned out to be three gators instead of just one.”
“Damn it, Joe, that’s four times this month. Did Buster get those traps repaired?”
“Not that I’m aware of.”
“Then I’m charging him this time. The taxpayers aren’t paying us to keep his shrimp house running, and trappers like Curtis don’t come cheap.”
“I agree,” Joe said, “but what about the problem we have here?”
Dorie sighed and tossed a sideways glance over at Maylene, who was working her jug like a prize-fighter with a water bottle. “How much homemade wine has Maylene had?”
“She was drinking when I got here.”
It figured. Maylene Thibodeaux was hard enough to please sober. Drunk was a whole different story. “You didn’t let her give you any, did you? That stuff’s worse than drugs.”
Joe looked surprised. “No way, boss. I’m still thinking that’s how she bagged Mr. Thibodeaux.”
Dorie smiled. Joe was probably right. Maylene Thibodeaux had been making her own stash since she was a little girl. Rumor had it Mr. Thibodeaux behaved oddly and had a strange tone to his skin on the day of their wedding thirty-five years ago. Folks around town said his skin was the same exact color when they buried him six months ago, making Maylene the most patient hunter in the parish.
After all, it had taken her only minutes to trap her prey, but thirty-five years to kill it.
Maylene’s ears must have been burning because suddenly she came alive and rose from her chair, kind of. Actually, the chair rose a bit with her, and there were a couple of seconds of detachment necessary. Then she glared at Dorie.
“Damn it,” she said. “I did not have this expensive piece of concrete put in to swim with the gators. I could go down to the bayou to do that. And I’m at least a mile from any water whatsoever.” She hiccupped and staggered a little towards the edge of the water. “What the hell is this one doing in my pool?”
“I don’t know,” Dorie replied. “Did you ask him?”
Maylene shook a finger at her. “Don’t you get smart with me, young lady, or I’ll have a talk with your daddy.” She pointed back at the gator. “Now, just what are you going to do about that?”

A test of a good novel is when, even a couple of years later, I can read this opening and I’m dying to read this novel afresh all over again. It just grabs me. If it’s doing the same for you, why not give this author a try?
Obviously as part of this blog entry, I’m giving readers some great suggestions for new romance authors to try. What if you don’t have this luxury? There are a couple of ways to discover these new authors.

1. If you are in the physical store, find the bookseller who enjoys romance. Explain to her the authors you love most and ask for new authors that might have a similar vein. A knowledgeable bookseller can steer you in the right direction.

2. Browse covers and look at the blurbs. Lisa Kleypas calls Sherry Thomas one of the best historical romance authors writing today. Well, if you love Kleypas and she loves Sherry, then you might want to take her recommend. Julia Quinn called PROOF “one of the finest historical romances I’ve read in years.” Well, I think Julia is pretty discerning and doesn’t blurb often. Her opinion might carry some weight.

3. If you hear about a title, scout around to see if you can find a sample chapter online. A lot of authors post the openings on their websites. That way you can get a taste of the writing and the story before you actually buy.

4. There are so many fabulous online review sites for romances. Check them out. Look up some of your favorite titles and see what the reviewer says about them. Then look up some of the romance novels that weren’t your cup of tea. Find the review sites that seem to match your own opinion. Then you know you can probably trust that site to recommend a new writer for you.
And if you are a romance reader who also writes and you want to see if your opening pages are doing the trick, then look into submitting to romance writing contests where you get feedback from the judges.
As an agent, one of my all-time favorite contests is the Toronto Romance Writers Gold Ticket Contest.
http://www.torontoromancewriters.com/contest.html
These ladies don’t pull punches. You’ll get honest feedback from several rounds of judging. I’ve been blown away by the quality of entries in this contest. In fact, just this past fall, our agency did the unprecedented. We asked for full manuscripts from the top 3 entries. We’ve NEVER done that before. And all three entries were so good, it was hard hard hard to pick a winner. In fact, we offered representation to 2 of the 3 winners. That’s a heck of a contest!

So, now your turn — how do you choose to try a new author? Is it the cover, back copy or word of mouth? Comment below - Happy Romance!

Happy Birthday, Lady Jane’s Salon!
New York City’s First and Only Romance Reading Series Turns One

By Hope Tarr, Co-Founder

Imagine a smoky, bookish bar in New York’s West Greenwich Village, smoky because it’s a cigar lounge and bookish because well, there are actual books on the actual bookshelves lining the back room walls.

Imagine scotch, good scotch, as in single-malt served “neat” in respectably solid glasses.

Now add to the picture three romance writers—Maya Rodale, Leanna Renee Hieber, and Hope Tarr—and one book blogger, Ron Hogan tucked into a round table and whetting their respective whistles after returning from the ubiquitous Manhattan literary reading. As stogies are passed and glasses clinked, the four find themselves lamenting the lack of any forum anywhere in the city for reading the romance fiction they so dearly love.

Imagine one of the authors, Maya Rodale, hoisting her tiny hand heavenward and exclaiming, “Jeepers, why don’t we start a reading series for romance on our own?”

Okay, maybe Maya didn’t exactly say “Jeepers”—I did mention there was scotch involved—but the rest of the story is well, pretty much on the mark in terms of accuracy.

And so was born Lady Jane’s Salon, New York City’s first and so far only monthly reading series devoted to celebrating romance fiction in all its glorious diversity—traditional historical- and contemporary-set relationship stories as well as urban fantasy, paranormal, steampunk, military, gay & lesbian, you name it.

Since we launched Lady Jane’s in February 2009, we’ve been thrilled and at times humbled by the tremendous outpouring of enthusiasm from the romance community and beyond; the latter has brought us feature articles in THE NEW YORK POST and TIME OUT NEW YORK. Each Salon event is a mix of familiar faces and new friends—editors and agents, media professionals and publicists, authors both published and still-to-be-discovered, and readers, the back bone of our industry without whom none of us would exist.

Sponsored by Beatrice.com, the Salon meets on the first Monday of the month from 7 to 9 PM at Madame X (94 West Houston Street). Madame X bills itself as New York’s sexiest lounge and the décor doesn’t disappoint. Think Victorian antiques, fringed lampshades, and erotic art mounted on deliciously deep red walls, the perfect venue for a genre dedicated to l’amour.

Each Salon night features two to four guest authors reading from their latest releases, bestsellers such as Marjorie M. Lui, Lauren Willig, and Andrea Pickens AKA Cara Elliott as well as midlist and debut authors. Occasionally taking over the microphone from Ron as guest emcees are “Smart Bitch” Sarah Wendell, “Scandalous Women” blogger, Elizabeth Kerri Mahon, and historical nonfiction author, Leslie Carroll. Specially themed salons include a tribute to Harlequin Enterprise’s 60th Anniversary, the winter holidays, an historical night in honor of Lady Jane’s First Birthday this month, and, upcoming, a spec fiction/fantasy night to coincide with Thriller Fest.

For the past year proceeds from the Salon, $5 or one gently-used paperback romance novel, have benefitted Share-the-Love.org, a women’s charity co-founded by Maya Rodale and fellow author, Ann Bleakley. With authors booked through early 2011, Lady Jane will continue to support charitable organizations dedicated to bringing the pleasure of a good book—and the promise of Happily Ever After—to women in need.

Maya, Leanna Renee, Ron and I will be taking Lady Jane on the road this April-May to the Romantic Times BOOK Lovers Convention in Columbus, Ohio. With both an Author Workshop and a Special Lady Jane’s Salon Event on the program, we’re looking forward to sharing the Lady Jane’s love with authors around the country who may wish to start up satellite salons of their own.

It’s been an amazing first year for Lady Jane and like a fine wine we fully expect Her Ladyship to improve with age. To keep abreast of the latest Salon doings, visit our web site at www.ladyjanesalon.com or “friend” Lady Jane on Facebook.

Hope Tarr is the author of more than a dozen historical and contemporary romance novels. Visit Hope online at www.hopetarr.com where you can read her blog on life in the Big Apple including, of course, Lady Jane’s.

What do you think? Would you like a Lady Jane’s Salon in your neighborhood?

Hi! You don’t know me, but I’m an avid reader of romance & my name is Elpmaxe, my friends call me Elxe for short. This post is starting off like an AA class, not that I’ve ever been to one, but from what I’ve heard anyway. I guess in a way, that is partially applicable as I am addicted to romance . . . but I don’t want to go to AA as I love my addiction!

How many of you, like me, pick up a romance & can’t put it down? Well, totally me . . . I have a book with me in the car; at the gym; at the office; by my bed; in the bathroom; in the kitchen; in the livingroom . . . I have a book & read it everywhere. Can anyone else relate?

When I was asked to post I thought, oh my, this is not my gig . . . but, friends said, “you are so passionate about romance & your passion is soooooo contagious, wouldn’t it be fun to share that enthusiasm with others?” Of course it would, I thought . . . but, I can’t write! Well, oddly enough, here I am, writing (urgh) this post as best I can . . . & I must tell you, I am TOTALLY JAZZED about Kat Martin’s Bride series!

I’ve always enjoyed this authors writing, but have drifted away from her over the past year or two. Then, she publishes this new series, THE BRIDE SERIES, beginning with:

ROYAL’S BRIDE; REESE’S BRIDE & the final, RULE’S BRIDE

Each one of Kat’s heroes is sexier than the next . . . Royal is a duke’s son & returns after years abroad to hear his father’s dying wish, to marry an heiress. Royal agrees to his father’s request, however, it is his cousin that he finds he has more of an interest in & so the story unfolds. Kat intertwines a great mystery plot into this story which logically brings the hero & heroine together & if anyone can write a great hero . . it is Kat Martin.

Ok, book two — with Reese, who returns home from war only to find his childhood sweetheart married to another . . . how could she? They promised each other they would wed upon his return. Elizabeth’s husband dies & she fears for her life & her sons, turning to Reese for assistance. Their love rekindles and this is just ohhhhhhhh so romantic!

But book three with Rule . . . .oh darn . . . I just realized I can’t talk about this one . . . comes out April 27th . . but hey, gives you plenty of time to catch up on the other two before it’s release in stores. Believe me, you’re going to love it!

I really love trilogies. I enjoy reading stories where the authors focus on the details of all of their characters lives . . . seems like I can never get enough!

If I could tell the publishing world what I wanted for my romance library, it would be series. Each character would have a separate story where previous characters from previous books reappeared . . but CAUTION: I do not want the same old same old! These stories must be different . . . and move the story forward . . . do not make me read the same story over & over with different characters!

Hey, great question, if you could tell the publishing world what you wanted for your library, what would it be?

I might also tell the publishing world if you start the author in paperback, keep her in paperback, don’t make the last book in the series a hardcover — messes with my shelves, ya know what I mean?

Win a copy of Rule’s book by commenting today . . . only one winner!

A Junkies’ TBR Mountain Range aka Top 10 Romance coming in 2010!

I’m Dorine, one of the Coordinators for Romance Junkies Book Club, an online community of readers and authors who love to chat about our favorite Romance books. The RJ Book Club works in tandem with the Romance Junkies Blog and Romance Junkies Website, a Romance review site.

There are three things Romance Junkies love to do - read romance, review and discuss our favorites, and gather daily to chat about life as book lovers who love to build “to be read mountain ranges” instead of just a “to be read pile”. We all have life challenges and reading romance helps us through the tough ones, reminds us of what we love about life in general, or gives us hope and something to look forward to in the future. Romance Junkies’ Reviewers read the full range of Romance available today, from sweet to the most erotic, from young adult to women’s fiction - if there’s an element of Romance in it… then we’re reading it!

Thanks so much to Sue for inviting us here to talk about our Top 10 for 2010. If you need a romance book to read, there’s nothing like a Junkie to help you find more than one, so I hope you have fun adding some of our favorites to your list.

Since we are Junkies, I hope you don’t mind that we couldn’t keep our list of Romance books we’re looking forward to in 2010 to just 10 titles or authors. It took me about 5 minutes to realize that limiting a bunch of Junkies to a few choices would be impossible, so I hope you enjoy our WAY OVER THE TOP 10 list and reasons for our “can’t wait for” titles in 2010!

What about you? Can you keep your list of Romance books that you’re looking forward to most limited to a top 10 for 2010? Or are you a ‘Junkie’ too and have a list to match ours? Share your lists and why you’re hungering for more books by your favorite authors with us and we’ll build TBR Mountain Ranges together!

Tell us if you see a trend in your reading choices for 2010, because some of ours are changing even though we still have our favorites.

AND… if you’d like to join us daily in our obsession, come visit us!

HAPPY READING, DISCUSSION, AND TBR MOUNTAIN RANGE BUILDING/CONSUMPTION…

The top five romances RJ Reviewer, Audrey is looking forward to in 2010…

1. The third in the trilogy of “The Hunger Games.” As yet unnamed, by Suzanne Collins. To be released August 24th, 2010.

The Hunger Games is a fabulous trilogy. It’s set in the future which is an unusual read for me (I’m typically historical all the way), but it’s so engaging, an easy read, and it has a wonderful love triangle that you can’t help but wonder how will be resolved. It’s actually a teen book, and what I’ve noticed more and more is that I’ve been gravitating towards them. I don’t know if that means that the authors are making them more adult-like in their writing/topics, or if I’m just seeking an easier read. Either way, I’ve also picked up another series, The
Luxe by Anna Godbersen, and can’t put it down. She came out with the fourth book at the end of last year, and there doesn’t seem to be a fifth on the horizon, but maybe they just haven’t announced it yet, these are fabulous too; good love triangle, fun read, set in 1899 New York.

2. and 3. The Red Queen and The White Princess by Philippa Gregory.

Philippa Gregory is simply one of the best Historical Fiction writers around. Not only does she stick to the facts, but she somehow weaves personalities and other dramas between the history we know (the wives, the history of the Tudor household). It’s impossible to put one of her books down, and she just began her new series this year which goes back to the foundation of the Tudor household, with the overturn of the Plantagenets and the inter-marrying between the amilies.

4. The unnamed sequel on Henry VIII’s Court by Anne Easter Smith.

Anne Smith is great at taking an unknown character (a totally unknown), and creating their own lives within the Tudor court (are you getting yet that I’m a Henry VIII fanatic?). Somehow she manages to show what these characters lives were like while within the Tudor court and it’s doings…so basically, it’s two stories in one that are completely intertwined, but one is unknown.

5. Roses, by Leila Meacham, it’s out right now and I am going to go and see her at her appearance in Austin. It’s being compared to “Gone With The Wind.”

RJ Reviewer Sarah Wethern tells what she’s looking forward to in 2010 and why…

I’m looking forward to anything and everything author Victoria Dahl puts out in 2010. Her January release, Lead Me On, was phenomenal, top notch contemporary romance. I predict huge, amazing things for her in 2010. She has not only another contemporary book coming out but also a new historical romance being released in August called A Little Bit Wild. Her next contemporary book will be released in July 2010 and is titled Crazy for Love. If you haven’t read this author yet, do so now! Not only is she hilarious and sensual, but she has depth and realism to her stories. You can’t go wrong! And if you’re in Twitter, be sure to follow her because she his equally hilarious and releases snippets of her upcoming books. Gotta love an author like this!

RJ Reviewer Kate says…

Here are my top 10 most wanted for 2010. The reason I picked these books - the majority have delivered great past reads. I also would love to emphasize on a new debut author, Carolyn Crane whose first book, Mind Games will be released in March from Bantam and she has some great buzz behind her.

Lover Mine by JR Ward
Demon Blood by Meljean Brook
Changeless by Gail Carriger
Mind Games by Carolyn Crane
Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole
Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan
Married By Morning (Hathaways) by Lisa Kleypas
Last Night’s Scandal by Loretta Chase
Wicked Becomes You by Meredith Duran
First Drop of Crimson (Night Huntress World, Book 1) by Jeaniene Frost

Thanks again to all of you for blogging with us on Borders True Romance Blog . . . now . . . (drum roll) . . . the winners are:

Sunday-for Sabrina Jeffries - peggy

Monday - for BookMatchmaker - these lucky winners get to write their own post for BTRB - Laura; Helen L; Armenia; Donna Marie Rogers; Lisa G; Karen H; Kelly Peterson; Tiffany M; Cranky Otter; Debra

Wednesday - Allison Brennan’s winners - Heather C; Sue A; Barbara Elness

Thursday - Linda Lael Miller chooses - Debra; Mariska; Laura (PA) ; Leslie; Maureen

Saturday - Madeline Hunter’s winner is Deborah Brent

Please contact SueG, sgrimsha@bordersgroupinc.com with your address; Monday winners, email me & we’ll set up a post date CONGRATS TO ALL!

What’s up for this week???

Sunday with Heather Graham!

Monday - Editor Deb Werksman talks about Laura Kinsale

Tuesday - Jill Myles

Wednesday - Hank Phillippi Ryan

Thursday - Contest ?? What Contest???

Friday - Romance Junkies do book reviews for Borders True Romance Blog!

Saturday - Elpmaxe ( I think I’ve spelled that right?) & something special from Jill Shalvis!

Whew — what a great week with giveaways & excerpts galore!

Please join us & tell your friends — www.bordersblog.com/trueromance — we love to hear from you!

Until tomorrow, Happy Romance!
SueG