RIP

Kate Duffy, Kensington editor and all-around cool person, died yesterday. She was an amazing woman and will be missed.

First Sale Friday: Roslyn Hardy Holcomb

I was planning on starting this series back up in October but when Roslyn told me that her book was coming out on Tuesday and asked if I could move her up a bit I couldn't resist. So please join me in wecloming ROSLYN HARDY HOLCOMB!

Harmless Smut: Tell us, how long have you been writing?

Roslyn: I’ve been a writer since third grade, but I didn’t start writing fiction until about eight or nine years ago.

HS: What attracted you to your genre?

R: I love multi-cultural romances and at the time there were few of them available, so some friends harassed me until I wrote one.

HS: You are so right! How many manuscripts had you completed before you sold?

R: I sold my first manuscript, but it took two years.

HS: Wow! You kept at it. Congrats! Tell us about the day (the minute, the second) you got ‘The Call’ (or The Email). What was your initial reaction?

R: I dropped the phone and ran screaming through the house at the top of my lungs.

HS: Great reaction! What did you do to celebrate afterward?

R: Went out for a very nice dinner.

HS: Very nice. Now, be honest. Anyone whom you wanted to rub your news in his/her nose?

R: Oddly enough, no.

HS: You're a nicer person than I am. Tell us about your current (or upcoming) release.

R: My latest release is called Morning Star, it’s a sequel to my first book Rock Star, and it’s about a secret relationship between a television producer and the star of her show. After that will be Santa Baby which is about a aspiring singer who agrees to be the mistress of a real estate tycoon, only to have the relationship challenged by the recent economic crash.

HS: Wow! They sound great. I can't wait to read them.! When can we get our greedy hands on them?

R: Morning Star will be released on September 29^th. Santa Baby comes out December 8^th.

HS: Where can we buy your books?

R: Loose Id, Fictionwise, ARe, Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble and Walmart

HS: What are you working on now?

R: I’m still working on Santa Baby and a historical paranormal story tentatively called Given.

HS: What advice do you have for ‘Soon To Be Published’ writers (as I like to call them)?

R: Once you finish your first book, immediately start your next one. When you sell your editor will want to know what else you have. Never pay money to get published, and be cautious, there are tons of sharks out there. Don’t be chum.

HS: Great advice! Now for the fun stuff! I have to know, if you could have sex with one celebrity who would it be?

R: This one changes quite frequently, but Sting is at the top of my Permission to Do list. (My husband and I have a list of celebrities that we’ve given one another permission to get naked with should the opportunity present itself.)

HS: I have one of those as well. Only it's with myself and not nearly as much fun since I'm single. *SIGH* Moving on. What’s the funniest or most interesting line in a book you’ve ever written or read?

R: That could take all day, but there’s a line in my critque partner’s latest book, Simply Wicked that still cracks me up. “No panties for you.”

HS: That's hilarious! Thank you so much, Roz!

NEXT WEEK: BRENNA LYONS

Sex is Boring!

That's right, I said it. Sex is boring. At least the writing of it is. It's basically insert Tab A into Slot B. Everyone does it, some organisms even to it all by themselves, although I'm sure that's not as much fun.

The reason I'm thinking about this is because as I am working on my edits, I realize that the love scenes that I wrote no longer...ahem...excite me. I remember writing them and feeling that certain something. And when I went back to revise, I fanned my face against the tide of rising heat and said to myself, 'I can't believe I wrote that.' Now, I'm reading and revising and I'm thinking 'Oh, my God, ENOUGH!' I am so over sex .

I had this conversation with a couple of my CPs the other day and Helen (who rocks long and hard and just got two new contracts) said that she's going to try and write an HQ Presents novel because she is so over sex and I can't say that I blame her.

However, as much as I am over sex between Chloe and Sean, I have some new characters that are steaming up my computer screen that I can't wait to write about and explore their journey. The difficulty comes with keeping the sex fresh and new. The key to a good sex scene is the emotion that lies beneath the physical tab and slot. Each love scene is nuanced and has purpose and means something for the characters. That's why I read romance and erotic romance. And to be honest, sometimes I watch porn because while sex is boring, let's face it, fucking is fun. To do and to watch.

So here's to sex. Boring, emotional, hot, fun, however you can get it. I may be over it for now, but there's always something (or someone) new on the horizon.

Like this guy, for example:

You're Welcome!

Sunday Book Blog

I've been reading a lot of books lately so I'm going to do a quickie blog. Just the title and the rating.

Bengal's Heart by Lora Leigh- RUN!!!!

Heat Seeker by Lora Leigh- RUN!!!!

Saving Midnight by Emma Holly- Speed Walk

Servant: The Kindred by L.L. Foster- RUN!!!

I will have a couple of in-depth reviews for you later this week but that's it for now.

Later Gators

Ta Da!

THIS IS THE OFFICIAL COVER!!!! THANKS SO MUCH TO NATALIE WINTERS. SHE KICKED ASS AND I CAN'T TELL HER ENOUGH HOW BEAUTIFUL I THINK THIS IS!!!

Sunday Book Blog

And... we're back! No chit chat. Straight to the blog.

Dark Slayer by Christine Feehan

Ivory Manilov has been lost to the Carpathian people for centuries until now. Fresh off of fighting a deadly vampire enemy, Ivory meets that last person she ever thought to encounter, Razvan, her lifemate. Though on the verge of death, Razvan refuses her help and asks to die. She cannot allow it and brings him back to her home knowing that her once secretive existence is about to change dramatically.

Razvan has long been thought to be a traitor to his people. Indeed, he has willingly given away a part of his soul to his grandfather, the evil Mage Xavier, in order to save his sister and his daughter. Xavier may have possessed Razvan's body, but to his mind, it in no way exonerates him for his crimes...or in the eyes of his people. The people who wish to condemn him. The very people only he and Ivory can save.

Okay, you already know that I love Ms. Feehan and that love has only grown over the years. This story, while it had the potential to be one of the most heartrending (okay, can I tell you, I was balling my eyes out when I read 'Dark Melody'), it seemed a bit of a departure from her previous books. Razvan is not the ALPHA male who needs Ivory to restore light to his soul. Rather, it is Ivory who needs Razvan to restore her balance. Plus, Ivory is a kick ass bitch and a Hunter through and through. She is the female Hunter that we have been waiting for.

Razvan, on the other hand, it all peace and tranquility despite centuries of torture and abuse at the hands of Xavier. My only qualm with this book is that I wish we had more time with him so that we could really get into his head. I know that he is a Dragonseeker and they rarely turn vampire but I wanted to be in his head, in his past, more so that I could truly understand him. Ms. Feehan is usually very good at giving us this history. Her stories are riddled with heroines with horrendous pasts that we get to know intimately, I wish that she had done the same for Razvan.

In spite of this, this was a great story. It weaves together well all of the elements of the plots that have come before. Each story builds on the previous ones and that is what truly makes this series unique. I hear that she is going to be ending it soon but I pray with all my heart that that isn't true. And I can't believe that seeing as how she introduced no less than six new characters in the past three books, three (or maybe more) in this book alone.

RATING: RUN!!!

The Darkest Whisper by Gena Showalter

Sabin has been possessed by the demon of Doubt for centuries. And for centuries he, and his lovers, have suffered for it. While on a mission to search for four artifacts for the god Cronus, he meets the one woman who can silence the demon.

Gwen the Timid has been held captive by the Hunters for a year, something that should never have happened. She was a Harpy, for God's sake! But just about the worst Harpy ever. When Sabin and his team come to 'rescue' her she doesn't know whether to be grateful or not. But that doesn't stop the attraction blossoming between them. But can a woman riddled with doubt all the time be happy with a man who is the epitome of that?

So, that was a really crappy description but it was the best that I could do. The story is kind of hard to describe because although Gwen plays a factor in Sabin's mission, it's not as if she's the key. Still, I enjoyed the story. Gwen being a Harpy is great for Sabin because his demon, Doubt, is afraid of her and gets quiet when she's around. Poor Sabin has had to deal with women killing themselves over the worries the demon places in his lovers and he needs someone strong. Plus, in the midst of this, you have a woman overcoming her own, self-made issues with confidence. It's a very intriguing combination and one that works well. Nicely done, Ms. Showalter.

RATING: RUN

Line Edits Ho!

Okay, got them back today and have 3 days to work on them. No problem!

Guest Bloggers!

So I am working on resurrecting my First Sale Friday series. I think I have some great talent lined up. I'll let you know as soon as I have the fall schedule mapped out. I think we'll start in a couple weeks.

I'M SO EXCITED!