It really is a good thing I am not much on book signings…

Because I would be major depressed right now. Or more depressed? whatever…

Cuz tomorrow in Dallas there are all sorts of nifty people signing books at the DARA, Dreamin’ in Dallas booksigning

Sandy Blair, Shana Galen, Shelley Bradley, Victoria Chancellor, Beth Cornelison
Dixie Cash, Jacquie D’Alessandro, Robyn DeHart, Pepper Durcholz, Sharon Ervin, Alberta Gentry, Elisabeth Fairchild, Jane Sullivan, Winnie Griggs, Candace Havens,
Lorraine Heath, Elle James, Karen Kelley, Mary Kennedy, Celya Bowers, Kara Lennox, Delilah Devlin, Sally Painter, Cherlotte Boyett-Compo, Dixie Cash (is she listed twice cuz she is two people?), T.O. McFarland, Emily McKay, Linda Lael Miller, C Rowe-Myers, Kim Robinson, Jane Archer, Catherine Sellers, Gail Dayton, Gena Showalter, Mona D. Sizer, Caroline Clemmons, Vickie Taylor, Kei Swanson, Shanna Swendson, Jessica Trapp, Lori Wilde, Karen Whiddon, Carolyn Williamson

But am I going? nope…
I did play with the idea since I have a place to stay and could drive but really I hate going anywhere when I can’t spend money without stressing over it. And really there would be far too many books to buy! So myself is staying home, safely five or six hours away from the temptation to buy books. But you other texas people (LOL are there even any other texas people here beside me), hey I have like a texas theme going on today, go and tell me all about it!

[side note to jul: I am sure you never visit here but if you do remember I am broke and couldn’t come now if I wanted too but I still loveseses you tons and know it is my turn and I owe you like two visits aka don’t call and yell at me. Although really, with where you work, you should so have known about this and offered to go for me.]

It really is a good thing I am not much on book signings…

Because I would be major depressed right now. Or more depressed? whatever…

Cuz tomorrow in Dallas there are all sorts of nifty people signing books at the DARA, Dreamin’ in Dallas booksigning

Sandy Blair, Shana Galen, Shelley Bradley, Victoria Chancellor, Beth Cornelison
Dixie Cash, Jacquie D’Alessandro, Robyn DeHart, Pepper Durcholz, Sharon Ervin, Alberta Gentry, Elisabeth Fairchild, Jane Sullivan, Winnie Griggs, Candace Havens,
Lorraine Heath, Elle James, Karen Kelley, Mary Kennedy, Celya Bowers, Kara Lennox, Delilah Devlin, Sally Painter, Cherlotte Boyett-Compo, Dixie Cash (is she listed twice cuz she is two people?), T.O. McFarland, Emily McKay, Linda Lael Miller, C Rowe-Myers, Kim Robinson, Jane Archer, Catherine Sellers, Gail Dayton, Gena Showalter, Mona D. Sizer, Caroline Clemmons, Vickie Taylor, Kei Swanson, Shanna Swendson, Jessica Trapp, Lori Wilde, Karen Whiddon, Carolyn Williamson

But am I going? nope…
I did play with the idea since I have a place to stay and could drive but really I hate going anywhere when I can’t spend money without stressing over it. And really there would be far too many books to buy! So myself is staying home, safely five or six hours away from the temptation to buy books. But you other texas people (LOL are there even any other texas people here beside me), hey I have like a texas theme going on today, go and tell me all about it!

[side note to jul: I am sure you never visit here but if you do remember I am broke and couldn’t come now if I wanted too but I still loveseses you tons and know it is my turn and I owe you like two visits aka don’t call and yell at me. Although really, with where you work, you should so have known about this and offered to go for me.]

A Woman Scorned or things that make me seriously wonder about publishers

Barnes and Noble shows the release date for the reissue as March 2006. Of course there is no mention that it is a reissue.

Amazon has the reissue cover up but no note that a reissue is coming out. And STILL only shows the used copies - starting at $19.99 for an ACCEPTABLE copy.

BAM shows it as a release date of March 2006 with the note:

Special Order: Usually ships within 3-5 weeks. We cannot guarantee availability of special order titles because publishers may run out of stock. We will notify you in 3-4 weeks if we are unable to get this title for you.

Liz Carlyle’s site doesn’t even have the info up but she has been great about sending out updates with her yahoo group. (A must join for LC fans… not a ‘group’ just newletter and updates from the author) And it seems like what was to be a reissue, is still being reissued but as a special order.

WHY?!? As someone who read a random Carlyle book, when I first started reading romance, and didn’t like it much. I passed on reading more until a 3.99 reissue of A Woman of Virtue caught my eye. In fact I even passed up buying A Woman Scorned in a used book store once. Yep, the things you kick yourself for later.

Beauty Like the Night and A Woman of Virtue have been reissued for $3.99. And from that I thought all her out of print books were set for reissue, then A Woman Scorned was up in the air and then confirmed as a ’special’ order.

I get it if they don’t want to release it at a discount. Fine. But for a book that is out of print and reselling at a stupid rate (which the publisher and author see nothing from) why not release it like a normal reissue? It looks like this is the last book of her still OOP. Not counting that you can go to amazon right now and download the ebook.

So what am I missing? Why wouldn’t the publisher want a wider reissue of a book selling for $23 - $31 used?

Oh and if you want this, I strongly suggest ordering it now (if you have B&N do it, you don’t have to pay shipping where as if you do it online you do… or you need to spend $25 :)) or making it an amazon alert. And join Liz Carlyle’s yahoo group. Her last update made a mention of it showing up in stores in June. So I am not sure if that means special order now and get now, or in June you can just buy it. Or not… really does make you wonder why publishers are looking around questioning why book sells are down. Book buying shouldn’t be so much trouble.

Texas Gold Romance Award Contest

I have made it a point to try and read more texan authors, mainly it has to do with my ever on going quest to find ‘new to me’ westerns. Historical or contemp… if it is a western setting I am so there. The link will give you the past winners, some of who I have read and some I have added to the tbr list. Feel free to rec away if you see something you like or don’t. I am always looking for books to add to ‘the list’.

If you happen to be a Texan Author and haven’t yet, remember all entries for the Texas Gold must be entered by April 15. [LOL your taxes and texas gold don’t forget ;).] This means you!!! Well if you are…

A. an author who is a primary residence in Romance Writers of America’s Region 5 area (Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Arizona) at the time of submission]
B. an author who has written a novel that is set predominantly (minimum 75%) in Texas.
C. and the original copyright between January 2005-December 2005

Get 4 copies of your book together and enter because I want to read your book! Yes it all comes back to me *eg*.

The categories are:
Contemporary (category/series 40,000+ words)
Mainstream/Single Title (any time period)
Historical/Regency - (Personal fave here…. please make note and write more… and if your name is Lorraine Heath, this goes double for you… Rawley wants a book! Oh and kristie wants to talk to you.)
Paranormal/Time Travel/Futuristic - another personal fave if anyone is taking notes
Inspirational - no comment
Novella (20,000-40,000 words - “a novella must be a short story published in an anthology.”)

all rules and info for entering contest can be found here… as well as past winners

If you are interested in judging, 2006 Texas Gold will be judge by readers and booksellers, that would be you ;). Email Jackie Stephens @ Jackiestep@prodigy.net

Go forth and write more westerns!!! Or better yet send me your books! (yes this means you beth )

The Internet Book Database of Fiction

This is interesting. Haven’t played around with it much but looks like romance is there.

Rita me this

I don’t get it. How are these books put into categories?

Info from RWA site…

2006 RITA for Best Long Historical Romance Finalists

A Most Unsuitable Man by Jo Beverley (never read her)
This Rake of Mine by Elizabeth Boyle (have but way didn’t like this book, hoping reading the first one would improve it, haven’t done that yet)
The Devil to Pay by Liz Carlyle (sssssssssqqqqqqqqeeeeeeee)
The Dark Queen by Susan Carroll (never read her)
Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase (have tbr)
Sin and Sensibility by Suzanne Enoch (only read one book by her and it was boring as hell haven’t tried again)
The Perfect Rake by Anne Gracie (oh liked… good book)
To Pleasure a Prince by Sabrina Jeffries (sssssqqqqqqqqeeeeeeeeeee… LOVE this book, one of my faves of the series and has two of my favorite secondary characters)

here is where I go wtf?
2006 RITA for Best Short Historical Romance Finalists

When We Meet Again by Victoria Alexander (never read her - but how is this SHORT?)
The King’s Mistress by Terri Brisbin (good book)
Abbie’s Outlaw by Victoria Bylin (sqqqqqqeeeeeeeee western! And a good book)
It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas (::taps foot:: VERY good book but what the fuck? How is this a short historical?)
Highlander in Love by Julia London (didn’t read - but short?)
To Love a Thief by Julie Ann Long (tbr - again short?)
The Texan’s Reward by Jodi Thomas (ssqqqqqqqqqqeeeeeeeee another western - uh but don’t read her)
His Secondhand Wife by Cheryl St.John (do I even need to sqqqeeee again here?)

Lets break it down:
It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas - nom for SHORT
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Avon (October 1, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 0060562498
Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 6.9 ounces. (View shipping rates and policies)

When We Meet Again by Victoria Alexander - nom for SHORT
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Avon (June 1, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 0060593199
Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.0 inches
Shipping Weight: 6.7 ounces. (View shipping rates and policies)

Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase - nom for LONG
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley (March 1, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 0425201503
Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.3 x 0.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 5.3 ounces. (View shipping rates and policies)

What the fuck? Mr. Impossible is the shortest of the three but nominated in the long category. What am I missing? And really His Secondhand Wife, Abby’s Outlaw and The King’s Mistress are all three excellent books and show that HH has some great talent in their ranks. They deserve to be judged against other books like them, shorter stories that are told well are hard to do. It doesn’t seem right to judge them against a 400 page Lisa Kleypas novel.

I think I shall pass on this one…

LITERACY AND LONGING IN L.A. by Jennifer Kaufman and Karen Mack

nothing behind the cut

I think I shall pass on this one…

LITERACY AND LONGING IN L.A. by Jennifer Kaufman and Karen Mack

nothing behind the cut

I win!

Before the great crash of 2006, yes I am still whining, something really nifty happened. I won a contest! Really… Beth Williamson aka author who really needs to send me an advanced copy of The Bounty had a contest at her blog and gave away a copy of The Petshani by Sasha White. Sound good, the link will give you an excerpt as well as order info.

hee this is my second win in two years… I am on a roll now ;).

Wolf at the Door??? Anyone read yet?

So? Good? Bad? Anyone read yet? Looks like her website still isn’t being updated.. tsk tsk tsk. I think it is almost better for an author to not have a site than have one and not update.

Is that just me?

“>Wolf at the Door Keeps catching my eye. I think it is the title and cover. I am such a whore for a good wolf story lately. There is an excerpt up at St. Martin’s site. Which I have been good and not read.

Amazon’s 4 for 3 is still going on, of course I still have no money but whatever.

From the Back Cover:

Christine Warren’s spellbinding new series takes you into the enthralling world of The Others—mystical creatures who have long kept their true natures hidden from human eyes. Now, these werekin, shapeshifters, vampires, and witches must choose between revealing their powers or fighting a sinister sect hell-bent on their destruction…
Sullivan Quinn didn’t travel 3,000 miles from his native Ireland and his wolf pack just to chase rabidly after the most delectable quarry he’s ever seen. Quinn is in America on a mission—to warn his Other brethren of a shadowy group willing to use murder and mayhem to bring them down. But one whiff of this Foxwoman’s delicious honeysuckle fragrance and he knows that she is more than a colleague or a conquest…she is his mate.
Anthropologist Cassidy Poe is a world-renowned authority on social interaction, but the overpowering desire she feels around Quinn defies every ounce of her expertise. Working by his side to uncover The Others’ enemies poses risks she never expected—to her own safety, to those she loves, and to her heart, as every encounter with Quinn proves more blissfully erotic than the last…

Now, with no one to trust but each other, Quinn and Cassidy face a foe that’s edging closer every day, threatening to destroy the life they’ve always known, and the passion they’ve just discovered…

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