That’s right! Beginning Feb 2, Romance Buy 4 Get the 5th Free is happening in our Borders stores & www.borders.com so come on by & pick up your favorites including:

Hold on Tight by Stephanie Tyler

The Truth About Lord Stoneville by Sabrina Jeffries

Nowhere to Run by Suzanne Brockmann

Ravishing in Red by Madeline Hunter

Down River by Karen Harper

Steamed by Katie Macalister

Ladies Prefer Rogues by Janet Chapman, et al

Archangel’s Kiss by Nalini Singh

Nauti Deceptions by Lora Leigh

Ravishing in Red by Madeline Hunter

Stop on by 2morrow & tell the, SueG sent you!

Until tomorrow - HAPPY ROMANCE!

For the Borders True Romance blog—from your friendly neighborhood Berkley romance editors:

“Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without any presents.” I would take that famous opening line one step further and say that Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without any books! Certainly one of my fondest memories of Christmas mornings past was the pile of books Santa had left under the tree for me. I remember in elaborate detail a certain beautiful fat hardcover of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women with enchanting Tasha Tudor illustrations. Maybe part of the reason I remember it so well was that I was sick that Christmas and spent the next few days in bed with the kind of high fever you get as a kid. But that didn’t stop me from devouring Little Women even in my semi-hallucinatory state. I can still remember the exact reddish color of Jo’s dress that she wore to the dance in those first chapters—the dress with the burn mark in the back from standing too close to the fireplace, which meant she had to stand with her back to the wall and not actually join in the dancing. How thrilling when Laurie enticed her to dance with him out in the hallway!

Another year, I remember my delight at finding Mary Stewart’s new book Touch Not the Cat under the tree. And another year it was Victoria Holt’s Lord of the Far Island. Then there was the odd collection of juvenile hardcover biographies that Santa sometimes left behind. Joan of Arc…Madame Curie…Adolf Hitler… Perhaps Santa had found them on sale in a remainder bin. No matter—I devoured them along with every book that came my way, and to this day, the little I know about the personal lives of those historic figures comes from those books.

In this year of the Kindle and the Sony reader, it seems worth pondering whether the idea of books under the tree will soon be a quaint relic of the past—so last-millennium…! However, as wonderful (and hip) a gift as an e-reader might be, and as big a fan as I am of these devices, I still can’t imagine a world—or Christmas–without books. Fortunately, I don’t think I will have to. I have a 21-year-old son who has somewhat belatedly become a voracious reader. This is a kid who’s grown up with video games, ipods, iphones, skyping, and every other accoutrement of the high-tech culture. If the only way he could read the latest Jim Butcher book or the new Patrick Rothfuss novel was by downloading it, he would do it. But after reading the e-version, he wouldn’t rest (or let me rest) until he had acquired the physical book….He wants the book, the actual book. Even if he’s read it in some other form, he still wants the book. And furthermore, even after he has that, if there is a graphic-novel version of the book—he wants that too!

I am thrilled that e-readers have made reading cutting-edge and cool again—that they’ve brought reading into the 21^st century and made it competitive with all those other gadget-driven diversions. I am thrilled that e-readers have the potential to open up whole new markets, to make reading appealing to people who just wouldn’t spend $25 on a book or for whom it’s just too much trouble to head out to a bookstore for an often frustrating search for a book, and to get more people than ever before hooked on reading.

But in the end….Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without any books.

I happen to know that the elves are hard at work on several books that will make their appearance under the tree in due course, where they will hopefully become fond memories of the future. Come to think of it, as a Berkley editor, I think I AM one of those elves…

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,

Wendy McCurdy

Executive Editor

’Twas the night before Christmas…and I was trapped in an airport hotel with my family. Snow in the Midwest had delayed our flight to my grandparents’ house for the holidays. I wanted to be playing with my cousins, enjoying my grandmother’s famous hot chocolate, examining the gifts under the tree trying to guess what they might be. Instead I was stuck in a cheerless room with a mostly annoying younger brother and sister, with no Christmas tree and no Christmas morning to look forward to…it was going to be the worst Christmas ever!

And then my parents broke a cardinal family rule and allowed each of us to open one present before Christmas morning. Maybe Christmas wasn’t going to be so terrible. But a lot was riding on that one present–what could possibly save Christmas?

A rectangular-shaped package was placed in my hands and a shock of hopeful pleasure zipped through me. I recognized that shape and weight. A book! I tore off the paper to reveal a beautiful red-haired girl and was instantly wary. The novel wasn’t by one of my favorite authors (Cynthia Voigt, Madeleine L’Engle, or Judy Blume) but an unknown (to me) Canadian writer L. M. Montgomery.

That night I met Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert and I first saw Green Gables. I met Anne with an “e”, experienced Marilla’s tartness and Matthew’s kindness, laughed when Anne dyed her hair green (by mistake) and got Diana Barry drunk on homemade wine (also by mistake).  Becoming one of Anne’s ”kindred spirits”, I stayed up late into the night reading Anne of Green Gables. The plane ride the next day passed quickly as I devoured Anne of Avonlea. (Was she ever going to marry Gilbert Blythe?)

Christmas was saved by one of my all-time favorite heroines (with a little help from my wise, rule-bending, book-loving parents). And now every year I look forward to introducing other people to characters I love. As a Berkley editor I’m lucky enough to help bring you lots of books for the holiday season. May you find many new friends, adventures, and romance waiting for you under the tree on Christmas morning (or maybe Christmas Eve if you’re very lucky!). I know I’m looking forward to seeing lots of rectangular-shaped gifts under my tree!

Happy Holidays!

Kate

Kate Seaver

Senior Editor

Some of my favorite Christmas moments are about books—whether it’s choosing the perfect book as a gift, receiving a book I’ve been dying to read, reading a storybook with my nieces, or just plain getting immersed in a book with a Christmastime setting. For me, Christmas really enhances a romance–romance has never seemed more romantic or more right to me than ones set at Christmas. I don’t know who decided to put together the first Christmas romance anthology together, but that person has my undying gratitude. I love reading Christmas novellas, from contemporary to paranormal to historicals, but a special place in my heart is reserved for the Signet Regency Christmas anthologies. I discovered some of my all-time favorite historical writers through their Christmas novellas, writers such as Mary Balogh, Mary Jo Putney, and the late, great Edith Layton. I re-read their novellas throughout their year, not just during the holiday seasons, and I treasured that warm glow their stories always give me—better than a cup of hot chocolate, as far as I’m concerned.

My love of Christmas romance anthologies stayed with me through the years, and became really useful when I became an editor, because now I get to put together my own Christmas anthologies. I’ve had lots of fun putting together authors with different themes and titles—some of the recent ones include: THE MAGICAL CHRISTMAS CAT, AN ENCHANTED SEASON and HOT FOR THE HOLIDAYS. So if you’ve never read a Christmas novella and want a quick break this busy holiday season, try one—you may find yourself becoming a lifelong fan, like me!

Wishing everyone a healthy and happy holiday season!

Cindy Hwang

Executive Editor

Tell us about the book you hoping to receive wrapped under your Christmas tree?  Merry Christmas!

UPDATE! in addition to the first 3 winners, we’ll randomly select another 2 for good measure — so continue to answer & comment below — were the questions too easy? don’t like Trivia? would like to do more of this? Thanks! SueG

Alright all you smarty pants out there! Here’s a trivia post for you — the first 3 people that accurately answer the questions below will receive an assortment of 3 books each from Kensington Publishing — Have Fun!

On your mark . . . get set . . . GO!

1-Sydney Croft is the pseudonym for two authors, both of whom are published under their own names. RIDING THE STORM is their first book together for Bantam Dell.

2-What author calls her official reader website, A Day Without French Fries, & has over 7,500 registered members?

3-What New York Times, Best Selling author, does not have her own website? unscramble for the answer: dhwainardol

4-What author is writing a new stage play for off Broadway, NYC, in 2010?

5-What 2 authors are hosting the ‘FAN’ event in 2010?

6-What author just ‘Sizzle’s’ on 12/29?

7-Jamie & Claire are reoccurring characters for this series?

8-This author worked at a Waldenbooks store? Now is a New York Times Best Selling author in the paranormal genre.

9-Her sister is Nancy Bush?

10-This author is dyslexic? Hint: She is having a Perfect Christmas; I call her Mrs Miracle.

SILENT NIGHT, HAUNTED NIGHT, by Terri Garey

Setting: modern day Atlanta, Georgia, in the historic yet quirky neighborhood of Little Five Points

Subgenre: Paranormal, urban fantasy

Hero: Joe Bascombe, MD. Chief of Emergency Medicine at Columbia Metropolitan Hospital

Heroine: Nicki Styx, a free-spirited vintage clothing store owner whose recent near-death experience has left her a beacon to the restless dead.

One sentence summary: SILENT NIGHT, HAUNTED NIGHT puts a new twist on Christmas spirits in this story about three ancient and powerful souls—theThree Fates—who are out to teach Nicki Styx a lesson by sending a succubus to enthrall the man she loves, and draw him down into darkness.

Scene you like most and would never cut: There’s a scene when Nicki learns the truth about who the evil spirits really are, from the Devil himself, who’s had the hots for her for some time. J It’s intense, surprising, and was huge fun to write. I was able draw on old legends, old myths and Biblical history, then blend them all together into an entirely new mythology, which I get to explore further in future books. I’m having great fun with the world-building, and the story-telling!

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: “Those socks look great with those sandals.”

Your hero, is he a boxer or brief kind of guy: athletic style boxer briefs, Calvin Klein

Ancillary character you had the most fun with: Evan Owenby, Nicki’s business partner and best friend since childhood. Evan is a good-hearted fashionista who’s scared to death of anything having to do with ghosts or spirits, but he sticks by Nicki every time her world goes haywire. He’s a cross between Carson Kressley and Oprah. J

Your heroine’s favorite hobby: frequenting garage sales and thrift stores for buried treasure to sell in her shop, and hanging out with her hunky doctor boyfriend

Your hero’s favorite hobby: Joe’s an E.R. doctor, and a very busy guy. He’s either at work, with Nicki, or at the gym.

What you think readers will like best about this book: This book, like all four in the Nicki Styx series, is about the delicate balance between Light and Dark, laughter and sorrow, good vs. evil, and the choices we make every day on one side or the other. My heroine uses humor to cope as she’s forced to deal with some very dark topics: voodoo, evil spirits, murder, suicide, demonic possession. My books are meant to spook you out, make you feel, make you think, and every now and then, make you chuckle. Silent Night, Haunted Night is a slightly different version of the Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol, and shows how the choices you make can really come back to haunt you—Nicki Styx style.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: The Devil, Sammy (Satan) Divine. Blond-haired, blue-eyed and sinfully sexy, Sammy is hotter than Hell and lives there, too.

What’s next: Speaking of Sammy J , THE DEVIL’S BARGAIN and THE DEVIL’S DISCIPLE, spin-offs from the Nicki Styx series, will be published by Avon in 2011. These books will be darker, sexier, coming from the perspective of a darker, sexier character – Samael the Fallen, a/k/a the Devil himself. In THE DEVIL’S BARGAIN, the world’s most diabolically misunderstood bad boy takes on the job for which he was originally created – that of a guardian angel. Finally offered a chance to step into the Light, will he take it, or remain forever trapped by the Darkness he himself created?

Question of the Day:

Nicki Styx and her boyfriend Joe are faced with some tough choices in SILENT NIGHT, HAUNTED NIGHT. When was the last time you were faced with a choice you didn’t want to make? Do you feel, in the end, it was the right choice?

GIVEAWAY: 3 copies of SILENT NIGHT, HAUNTED NIGHT, each with a snowflake Christmas ornament will choose winners at random.

Claudia Dain & The Courtesan’s Secret

Today’s Giveaway - 3 copies of The Courtesan’s Secret! Comment below to enter the random drawing.

Setting: 1802 London

Subgenre: Regency historical

Hero: whomever Sophia thinks best

Heroine: whoever has the guts to ask Sophia for help in getting her man to the altar

One sentence summary: Sophia Dalby, ex-courtesan, dowager countess, and matchmaker to the stars of Regency England has a dark and complicated backstory that informs every action and reaction; she’ll help you, but there’s always a price.

Scene you like most and would never cut: Any scene with Sophia in it, any book. There are four books of the series out now and in each book a bit more of Sophia’s backstory comes to light. I’m having a really good time in dropping the breadcrumbs of information about her, inviting the reader to figure out why she does what she does.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing: Giving up control. Sophia, born of an Iroquois father and an English aristocrat mother, will control her own destiny or kill you trying.

Your hero, is he a boxer or brief kind of guy: Boxers, briefs, or commando, he always finds himself overmatched by Sophia. Strangely, he finds he doesn’t mind in the least since she arranges for him to get exactly what he wants.

Ancillary character you had the most fun with: In these books, Sophia is the core character, the center around which they all spin. The hero and heroine are the stars of their own books, and they’re surrounded by dozens of supporting characters. I have fun with every one of them! It’s so hard to choose, but I think I’d pick the hero of each book. It’s almost wickedly fun to watch Sophia manage this befuddled, angry, reluctant man into the arms of the woman he adores, even if he doesn’t know he adores her yet.

Your heroine’s favorite hobby: Planning the lives of all the misguided people surrounding her. What’s a woman to do? She has to help the helpless, doesn’t she?

Your hero’s favorite hobby: Avoiding Sophia’s web. She’s a man trap, and every man in London knows it. Of course, they also know it would be a happy death.

What you think readers will like best about this series: The wit? The sly humor I tried to put on every page? Falling in love is the most fun we ever have; watching two people fall in love should be a joyous thing to see. I’ve tried to capture that joy in all of the books of The Courtesan Chronicles.

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: I’m getting a lot of requests for Sophia’s book, but that’s a long way off yet. In the meantime, there’s the Iroquois nephews of Sophia, Lord Dutton (who I haven’t quite finished punishing), Sophia’s son (too young as of now). Lots of characters, lots of requests! With so many interesting characters populating these books, readers are finding their favorites and rooting for them. That makes it even more fun for me.

What’s next: The Duke of Edenham, who has been a character in three books now, gets his own book. Who he meets is the surprise ending in How To Dazzle A Duke so I won’t ruin it, but since he’s three times a widower, he deserves a true happy ending. What a shock to his system that the woman of his dreams demands her own happy ending. Dukes do tend to be presumptuous, don’t they? That book, not yet titled, will be out in the summer of 2010. Book two in the series, The Courtesan’s Secret, is out NOW. And it’s the book where the Duke of Edenham is first introduced.

What strong, fearless women do you love in romance? Do you have a favorite fearless heroine? Comment and you’re entered to win one of three copies of The Courtesan’s Secret!