“I remember it feeling odd and very cool to *hear* my books. I think audios are an amazing format–a wonderful variety of storytelling.” –Nora Roberts

Audio books have exploded in popularity. Consequently, more and more Romance books are now regularly offered in audio format– from best sellers to category romances to erotic romances [cue cheers and applause]. But you think selecting a book to READ is complicated? Well, selecting an audio book adds a whole ’nuther layer of decisions and dilemmas! They ARE worth it, though. So in this three part series, I hope to make audio book procurement a little easier. The first two installments are for all you Aural Pleasure virgins. If you are already an audio book addict, feel free to jump in with your own voice of experience.

Aural Pleasures 101 – “Why” and “Where” to buy Audio Books

I’m addicted to aural pleasures and NEED them when I’m doing the type of work that allows me to set my brain on automatic pilot. I can sometimes take a month or two to finish one audio book because I save it for those “special” mind-numbing, boring tasks that I almost don’t even notice I’m doing if I’m listening to a good audio book. Road trips and commutes become bearable, almost enjoyable, thanks to audio books. If I was one of those creative, crafty people, I’d probably enjoy listening to a good book while making hand-knit willy warmers. My oldest niece, LissaNY, has three little kidlets and can’t spare a minute to read a print book, but she can find time to LISTEN to a book while doing other activities. Of course, for those with vision problems, audio books have always allowed the same escape the rest of us sought with print books.

I wonder whether book discussion groups find that playing audio passages of that month’s book selection adds interest to their discussions. As I’ll discuss in the next two installments, listening to a book in audio format can offer a different perspective to a story. Do any of you belong to a Book Club? Do you play audio books at your meetings?

My niece is lucky– her local library is tech-savvy, so all she has to do is download her choice of audio books then send it to her MP3 player. Most libraries DO have audio books on CD and cassette available, but my local library has a pretty skimpy selection. However, I recently discovered they’ve now signed up with NetLibrary for eBooks and eAudio Books, so I’ll have to investigate that avenue (just as soon as I remember where I put my library card, but don’t tell Wendy I said that, K?). In the meantime, I’m stuck paying for all of mine.

I’ve scored several books on CD and cassette from eBay. You may not always find the latest releases for the best prices there, but if you are trying to collect all the audio books for a favorite series, or you want cassettes instead of CDs, or you are looking for older releases, I highly recommend ebay. Just be sure to follow all the “buyer beware” precautions. And it’s a great place to sell off some of the audio books you no longer want to keep– then you’ll have extra bucks to buy even MORE audio books!

The two most recognizable producers of audio books are Brilliance Audio and Recorded Books. Brilliance sells downloadable audio books through AudioBookStandDL.com or on CD/cassette through AudioBookStand.com, along with Amazon, Borders, etc. Honestly, the download price for a Brilliance audio book is outrageous and makes no sense, so, unless I’m desperate, I buy the CDs. You can hear a sample of many of the audio books (usually an introduction followed by an actual sample) at either AudioBookStandDL.com or AudioBookStand.com. Be sure to sign up for AudioBookStand’s email list because they have regular clearance sales that will allow you to pick up popular audio books on CDs/cassettes for really great prices, and while you‘re there, sign up for their reseller‘s newsletter to find out about upcoming audio book releases. Amazon will usually have a pre-order sale price on the most popular audio books, and while Borders/Waldens sells them for full list price, a 30% off coupon (just Google “Border’s coupons”) will often get you within a buck or two of Amazon’s pre-order price. That’s it for my local choices in brick and mortar bookstores (I love my Waldens). I know there are other chains and independents out there, but I don’t know if you can do any better with their pricing or not.

If you want to splurge and download your Brilliance audio book from AudioBookStandDL.com, you will first need to download The Overdrive Media Console®, which manages your downloads, playback, and transfers to portable devices or CD.

No matter where you purchase Brilliance CDs, you can listen to them as you would a music CD, upload them to your PC for playback or, once they’ve been uploaded, you can then download them to your MP3 player (theoretically, ‘cause I‘ve never done it). The CDs are usually divided into 99 tracks, which sounds odd until the first time you need to replay a scene or sentence, then you’ll realize that, without those short tracks, hitting the back track button could send you all the way back to the beginning of the book.

For Recorded Books, the best place I’ve found to score their audio is through Audible.com. In fact, when you purchase a downloadable audio book from Amazon, you are re-directed to Audible (usually member pricing through Audible is a bit better than pricing through Amazon). I have to wonder, though, if Amazon’s recent acquisition of Brilliance Audio will change all that. In addition to Recorded Books selections, Audible also offers audio produced by Harlequin Enterprises, Virgin Books Limited, even A&E Television and many more. The first 5-10 minutes of every audio book can be sampled before buying.

The first thing you will encounter at Audible is their monthly pricing plan– one credit equals one audio book and you pay a minimum of $14.95 per month to download one audio book a month, or $22.95 for two books a month, etc. Well, that’s all fine and dandy if that‘s what you want, but you can also do what I do– $9.95 per YEAR gives me the right to purchase any audio book at member pricing, which is significantly below list price. Watch for regular emailed special sales and stock up for even bigger savings.

You’ll first need to download the AudibleManager® software which allows you to download Audible audio to your computer, transfer audio from your computer to your mobile audio player, listen to Audible audio on your PC and manage audio on your mobile audio player. An additional software download is required to burn audio books to CD, and there are others that allow you to download audio books directly to your iPod. It’s all easy-peasy and non-techie (they even use pictures!) and they’ve got live phone support techs that actually know what they’re talking about (although I’ve only had to contact them once). Longer audio books will be downloaded in two or more parts– not a big deal unless you load up your MP3 player to take on a trip and forget to load part 2! [ACK!] Another nice feature at Audible is that you can purchase books on sale and just leave them in your Audible library until you’re ready to download them. In fact, you can re-download them whenever you want. Audible offers a listener rating system of 1-5 stars and listeners can also submit reviews. Gift certificates are available.

Although I’ve never purchased from anywhere else, note that there ARE several other sites that offer audio books for purchase. But whenever I come across one, a quick browse reveals that they don’t offer very extensive Romance sections. Still, it might be worth a Google or two to check them out. You can also buy or rent audio books directly from Recorded Books at bend-over-and-say-ouch prices.

I recently came across a site called On the Go Books which appears to work similar to NetFlix movies. You pay a monthly fee, place audio books on your rental list, and they mail you the next one on your list as soon as you return the previous one. Have any of you used On the Go or a similar service?

I’ve saved the best reason to “read” audio books for last. I don’t have time to do this too often, but sometimes ya just gotta grab a slice of Heaven here on Earth. A nice warm bath, a darkened room, maybe a few candles, and a good audio book. Now lie back, relax, and let the world go away while you soak. Reader Zen, I tell you! (And I find it quite easy to ignore the puppy-dog pleading look on my husband’s face as he repeatedly finds reasons to lurk.) I have the luxury of a whirlpool tub with an in-line heater so the water temp is maintained no matter how long I float away. If you don’t have that luxury, then you’re just going to have to muster enough energy to move your big toe and turn the hot water on every now and then (or you could just summon your personal bath slave). The last time I visited Reader Heaven, I ended up floating away for over 2.5 hours! But I walked (wobbled) out of there feeling as if I’d just spent a week lolling on a beach with not a care in the world. *sigh*

So why/when do you listen to audio books? Where have you obtained them?

Coming up:
Aural Pleasures 102 – “How” to Select an Audio Book - Come share your tips for selection
Aural Pleasures 103 – “What” Audio Books are Recommended - Get ready to share your recommendations

Read more from Bev at Cubie’s Confections.

Congratulations are in order for:

Katie

These three lucky ladies have won a signed copy of Blood Brothers. Lucky ladies indeed!

Be sure you email your physical address to us here at The Good, The Bad and The Unread so that you can get your spectacular prize.

The ever fabulous Dee crowned JC the winner of Test Me.

If you review it do let us know! I am trying to work in – She has such potential. heeeeeeee

And earworms for everyone since I haven’t been able to get this out of my head since I read Dee’s post the first time

Rona Sharon’s

Rakes Are From Mars Winners

Sarai

Cindi Hoppes

Maya

Congrats and enjoy! Please email us your address info. Thanks to Rona Sharon for the great prizes.

You will have a chance to win again tomorrow.. keep an eye out

Sasha White Winners

The winner of a signed copy of Sexy Devil is:

ames

The winner of a signed copy of Lush is:

Little Lamb Lost

The winner of a signed copy of Trouble

josie

Congrats and enjoy! Please email us your address info. Thanks to Sasha White Winners for the great prizes and the most wonderful excerpts.

C O N G R A T S

Stacy S

Pam P

Laura J

Darla

RandomRanter

Please email us your address info to get your copy of Forecast by Jane Tara.

Remember these are coming from Dorchester so they will be unsigned. Thanks for playing! And thanks to Dorchester for the great books.

Don’t forget the Forecast contest! I hope to have it on the sidebar soon *g*. Along with a guest schedule! Promise but I was out the door half an hour ago and forgot the game starts at 7:30pm and I really am gonna go.

Is it bad form to take a book to a Spurs Game?

And we will have a Sasha White Contest (with excerpts). As well as a few other excerpts I have been meaning to put up for a bit.

And a sneak peek at Kathryn Smith’s new nightmare series!

Sandy reviewed Forecast yesterday and gave it a B. Her psychic senses predict a winner of a book. The ever excerpt happy Gwen discovered a lack of excerpt goodness for Jane Tara’s debut novel. We knew that could never do!

The ever kind peeps at Dorchester sent us the first TWO chapters to post and are giving away four copies of Forecast to TGTBTU readers. Details at the end of the excerpt…

Forecast by Jane Tara

Chapter One

Every morning a mishmash of people gathered outside a crumbling, ivy-covered brownstone in Manhattan’s West Village.

This morning, as always, everyone mingled patiently on the pavement. Sunny from the local fruit and veggie shop waved to Ned, who ran the cafe. Officers Luke O’Hare and Justice Washington double parked their patrol car and joined the others. More people arrived. Everyone chatted about the weather and waited.

Suddenly the bright red door of The Grove—as it was affectionately known—swung open and Rowie Shakespeare trotted down the stairs.

“Morning. Everyone ready?”

The crowd murmured that they were and a hush fell over the street.

Rowie stared skyward. Her exquisite face softened, her tiny body relaxed, and her emerald eyes focused somewhere beyond the earthly realms. Only her bright red hair moved as it fluttered slightly in the warm breeze.

A minute passed, and then another. Someone had the nerve to ask what was going on and received a number of silent glares in return. Obviously a tourist!

Officer Washington edged over to the tourist and whispered, “She’s predicting the weather.”

“The New York Times says it’ll be hot and sunny all day,” said the baffled tourist.

Officer Washington nodded. He too had once relied on the newspaper, Internet or CNN for his weather forecasts, but since discovering Rowie, he was never again without an umbrella when he needed one.

The tourist looked quite disturbed by the whole scene. “How does she know what the weather will be like?”

“She’s psychic.”

The tourist started to laugh, but stopped when he realized the cop was serious. “Psychic?”

“Yep. And goddamn accurate too. These reports are a bit of a neighborhood tradition.”

The tourist looked uncomfortable for a moment, and then started to edge toward the street corner. New York was full of weirdos. He still had the Empire State Building and Toys “R” Us to check out, but after that he was catching the first flight back to Salt Lake City.

Officer Washington returned to his partner’s side and pulled a dollar out of his pocket. “I say it’ll be sunshine all day.”

“You’re on.”

“Got it,” Rowie called as her gaze refocused.

She walked over to a whiteboard attached to the wall outside Second Site, the metaphysical bookshop and healing center her family owned next door. For sixteen generations, psychic abilities had been passed down to all the Shakespeare women, including her grandmother, Gwendolyn, and her mom, Lilia.

Rowie grabbed a big red marker and wrote, High of 80. Rain later! Take an umbrella.

Officer O’Hare laughed at his partner. “You’ll never be a farmer, buddy.”

Rowie opened a cardboard box full of umbrellas and offered them around. “Don’t forget to return them,” she reminded.

Sunny from the fruit shop waited patiently until the crowd petered off. “Rowie, I hate to bother you . . . it’s just . . .”

Rowie placed her hand on Sunny’s shoulder. “She’ll be home soon. A couple of months. Until then, she’s safe.”

Tears of relief filled Sunny’s eyes. His granddaughter had run away from home, and no one had heard from her all week. “Thank you. What you have . . . No wonder they call it a gift.” He gave Rowie a hug and headed back to his shop, feeling happier than he had in
a long time.

Rowie tidied the umbrella box, then walked toward the shop. She paused, glancing at the huge billboard that had recently been installed across the street. The picture of the man on it gazed straight back at her, a huge smile on his handsome face. He looked confident, smart . . . well flossed. Underneath were the words: Drew Henderson, He’s hot!

“You’re not wrong.” Rowie sighed.

Every night, women all over the tri-state area were glued to their TV sets while USBC’s Drew Henderson delivered the weather. Tall, dark, handsome, he was enough to raise temperatures in the middle of winter. He’d become an overnight sensation the minute he hit America’s TV screens. Some of his detractors felt his piercing blue eyes and slightly ruffled brown hair belonged on a daytime soap, not reporting on the forces of nature. But Rowie liked him. Sure he was smooth, and he probably had the substance of a soda, but out of all the weathermen, Drew was the most accurate. He wasn’t as good as her . . . but he did well with the tools available.

Rowie glanced at the sky. It was still deceivingly blue. She wondered if Handsome Henderson—as her grandmother had christened him—had picked up on the incoming storm. Unlikely. He was probably still in bed, curled up with a supermodel. Men that hot usually enjoyed a high turnover of naturally airbrushed woman.

Rowie turned back to the billboard and searched Drew’s face. Are you up, watching the weather? she wondered. Unlikely. A man like Drew Henderson? He was definitely flat on his back somewhere.

Chapter Two

Jess Walker was having a shit of a day, and it wasn’t even nine a.m. The Christopher Street Station was closed for track repairs, so she was rushing down to Houston. Why they had to suddenly fix the tracks the day before Fourth of July weekend was beyond her, but then the MTA was never known for its timing.

Unlike her. Jess was never late for work, and she didn’t want to start today. She quickly scanned the street for a cab. She noticed a large crowd of people blocking the sidewalk in front of her. Probably gawking at a dead body, she thought. She’d seen a number of jumpers and drug addicts clock out on Manhattan’s pavements. Not that she stopped to stare. She was too busy.

Jess glanced up to see how high the buildings were and saw a billboard of Drew. Goddamn it! Wasn’t her day bad enough already? Wasn’t it sufficient that she had to work with the guy every day?

Every billboard, every magazine cover, every inch of gossip column devoted to Drew was just another nail straight through her heart. Oh yes, she pretended to be friends with him. They’d agreed to remain friends when he dumped her. But she wasn’t his friend. She barely liked him. She just wanted to have his babies. Totally different.

Thankfully, she wouldn’t have to see Drew in the flesh today. He was on assignment in Florida. Another huge hurricane was brewing offshore, so Jess had made the call late yesterday to send him down there. Sometimes being a producer came in handy, especially if it meant you could get an ex-lover out of the way for a few days.

Not that Jess would ever admit it, but she’d found it hard working with Drew since their bust-up. Work had always been the most important thing in her life, but lately she’d found it difficult to concentrate on her job. With any luck, Drew would be overcome by Florida, decide to stay there, and she’d never have to set eyes on his rippling biceps again.

Her phone rang. “Jess Walker.”

“Jess? It’s Dario. There’s been an accident.”

Jess froze. Fear shot through her legs. Dario Volteri was the cameraman she’d sent to Florida with Drew.

“What’s happened? Is it Drew?”

“Yeah. He fell through a roof. He’s . . .” Dario was shouting. Jess could hear the wind howling through the phone.

Jess staggered over to a parked car and fell against the trunk. A moan escaped her lips. “Oh no, no, no, Drew, not Drew, he can’t be dead.”

“Dead? No, he’s not dead. But I think his leg is broken.”

Jess pulled herself together. “What the hell was he doing on a roof?”

“We were shooting. He decided to stand on top of a boat shed to get a good shot of the hurricane coming in from sea.”

“Is he insane?” And then a thought occurred to her. “Did you get footage?”

“Of course.”

“Good. Send it through. Where’s Drew? Can I talk to him?”

“He’s at the hospital. We’re waiting for the X-rays to come back and then we’ll know more.”

“Unbelievable. The biggest predicted hurricane all year and no one to cover it.”

“Eva Sanchez is here,” Dario yelled. “She can do it.”

“What’s she doing there? I didn’t send her on this assignment.”

Dario stalled for a moment. “She’s not here for work. She came down with Drew.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know. With Drew,” said Dario.

Jess wanted to be sick. How could he hurt her like this? Obviously this news would get back to her. She thought their relationship had meant something to him. It certainly had meant something to her. And while she knew Drew would date other women, this won him the two-minute noodle award for moving on. It had only been three weeks.

“Fine, use Eva.” She’d deal with that little tramp later. “Get back to me as soon as you know more about Drew’s leg. And don’t forget the feed.” Jess turned her phone off and slipped it into her bag. She hoped she could air the footage of Drew’s fall before he tried to quash it. There was no way he’d allow his female fans to see him looking anything but controlled and cool.

Falling through a roof wasn’t cool.

Jess moved closer to the crowd and noticed that it wasn’t a dead body, but a gorgeous redhead who was the center of attention. The woman was tiny, but had a commanding presence. She was standing completely still, gazing skyward. The crowd around her was silent, respectful, and obviously in awe.

Suddenly the redhead walked over to a whiteboard and scrawled a weather prediction across it. Not just any weather prediction, but an incorrect one. There was no way it was going to rain today.

Jess pushed her way past the crowd. What a bunch of freaks. She noticed a cab, double parked in front of a police car, and walked over to the driver. “Are you working?”

“I am now. I’ve got my weather report for the day.” The driver waved to two policemen. “See you tomorrow, boys. Don’t get wet.”

Jess slipped into the backseat as the driver started the ignition.

“Where to?” he asked.

“Fifty-fourth and Sixth.” Jess stared out the window at the redhead now handing out umbrellas. “You don’t really believe that woman, do you?”

“Who, Rowie? Sure. I’ve been getting her reports every day for the past three years and she’s never been wrong. Ever.”

“Is that so?” Jess turned and watched Drew’s bill board disappear from view. All thoughts of the redhead slipped her mind, replaced by images of Drew. She couldn’t believe he’d been injured.

Damn him, she thought.

Jess bowed her head and, despite being a selfaffirmed atheist, said a little prayer for Drew: Dear Lord, I don’t ask for much, but if you could, have a look at Drew Henderson . . . and please make sure he’s in a lot of pain

Copyright © 2007 by Jane Tara

Comment in this thread before Friday November 23 @ midnight CST. Four Five random winners will win an unsigned copy of Forecast from Dorchester.

Lawson’s review of Blood Brothers (Sign of Seven Trilogy, Book 1) by Nora Roberts
Paranormal romance released by Jove November 27, 2007

Blurb:

In the small village of Hawkins Hollow, three best friends who share the same birthday sneak off into the woods for a sleepover the evening before turning 10. But a night of pre-pubescent celebration turns into a night of horror as their blood brother oath unleashes a three-hundred year curse.

Twenty-one years later, Cal Hawkins and his friends have seen their town plagued by a week of unexplainable evil events two more times – every seven years. With the clock winding down on the third set of seven years, someone else has taken an interest in the town’s folklore. Quinn is a well known scholar of local legends, and despite Cal’s protests, insists on delving in the mystery. But when the first signs of evil appear months early, it’s not only the town Cal tries to protect, but also his heart.

Excerpt.

First Posted on 20th November 2007, 01:00

This is the first in Roberts’ new Sign of Seven Trilogy. The next two, The Hollow and The Pagan Stone, will be out in May 2008 and December 2008, respectively.

Caleb Hawkins, Fox O’Dell and Gage Turner have been best friends basically since they were born. Since they were born on the same hospital on the same day, it’s not much of a stretch to believe that’s true. On their tenth birthday they decide to go out camping in the woods outside of Hawkins Hollow, near a site called the Pagan Stone. After doing the things that ten year olds do when they’re away from prying eyes (like drinking some liberated beer and getting sick from cigarettes), things go awry when they unknowingly release a demonic force that had been trapped in the Pagan Stone.

After the demon had been released Caleb, Fox and Gage aren’t the same. As well as being impervious to physical harm, each has a gift. Caleb can see the past, Fox the future (ie read minds) and Gage can see the future. These things help the boys when the demon goes on a week long chaos spree starting the seventh day of the seventh month. Though the demon disappears, seven years later things happen again starting July 7 and continuing for seven days.

Quinn Black has come to Hawkins Hollow to write a book about the events that happen every seven years. She likes uncovering ghost stories and finding about the strange things that sometimes happen in small town America. Things in Hawkins Hollow are different than any other story she’s written before, since she begins to have nightmares and see things that show the signs of the demon starting way too early.

Quinn and Caleb work together to discover the cause of the early start and are joined by Fox, and later Gage as well as Layla Darnell and Quinn’s research partner Cybil Kinski. When Quinn decides to stay in Hawkins Hollow until July, Caleb realizes he doesn’t have a chance for his heart is lost to her. But what can he do to protect her from the mounting evil that he helped release 21 years earlier?

There are so many things going on during the plotting of this story. In wonderful Roberts style, they’re all given time to grow and the groundwork is deftly laid for the rest of the series. Though Fox and Layla, and Gage and Cyb will be the center of the next two stories, they’re thrown together in this first installment and there’s a great hint as what is to come.

The leads of this story, Quinn and Caleb, are very cute. They’ve got pretty similar personalities and when Quinn seems to get a bit too boisterous, Cal is there to help her calm down. Or when Cal goes overboard into male brooding territory, Quinn makes him smile and see how he can work life to his benefit. Even though there are dark forces at work, both Quinn and Cal realize their attraction and love can withstand it.

Since Cal can see the past (coincidentally Quinn can too, though being in Hawkins Hollow is what “awakens” her ability), there’s a running theme in the book of the impact the past can have on the present. Everything started not when the boys were camping, nor in the 1650s when the demon was trapped in the stone, but way back when in the mists of time in Eastern Europe. The ties the men and women have to each other through the past give a good foundation for why things are happening and what needs to be done to change things.

I did have a couple of issues with the story. There were definitly some horror elements dealing with the demon. It manifests itself as a child with red eyes and fangs, and horror is not something I generally like that much. Especially with demonic children. Though it worked with the story, it wasn’t something that worked with me personally. Being scared and horrified is not a viable form of entertainment, in my opinion.

The other thing was the fact that with all the discovery of the past and connections, there wasn’t a lot of time to spend getting to know Quinn and Caleb. Their attraction and backstory was halfway handed to the reader, so that it would be accepted and it seemed to happen so fast. . .there was, to me, barely any time between them meeting and them jumping into bed. There was some great chemistry, but it seemed a bit forced and rushed so that the story could be wrapped up within the time frame of a few weeks.

Overall it was a good, fast read and Roberts’ characters worked well together. The groundwork has been laid and I want the next in the series.

Grade: B

We’re Having a Party

People so shouldn’t disable the embed link at youtube, tis mean sez I. So you will have to clicky clicky the link above to sing along.

Please email us your address to get your copy of Private Party. Thanks for playing and as always thanks to Hilary for the prize(s)! I think you will really enjoy it.

The Winners are…

TO PLEASURE A LADY
The Courtship Wars Series, Book 1, release 29 Jan 08

When a newly titled earl develops an unexpected passion for his beautiful ward, he wagers he can seduce her into accepting his proposal of marriage—a wager she’s just as determined he won’t win.

A strikingly handsome aristocrat with a wicked reputation, Marcus Pierce inherits guardianship of spirited Arabella Loring and her two younger sisters—and immediately declares his intention to marry them off. Instead, enchantingly defiant Arabella sparks something rebellious and deeply erotic in Marcus. After matching both wits and swords with her, the possessive nobleman concludes this beautiful foe must be his.

Having sworn off marriage and men, Arabella wishes to be left alone to run her finishing school for young ladies. To that end, she boldly accepts Marcus’s intimate challenge: if he can woo and win her in a fortnight, she belongs in his bed as his wife. However, if she can resist his considerable charms, the Loring sisters will be granted their independence. Thus a tantalizing game of seduction and pleasure begins, where the cherished prize could be their very hearts….

Read an excerpt.

TO BED A BEAUTY
The Courtship Wars Series, Book 2, release 26 Feb 08

Harboring a secret passion for a neighboring earl, a harming beauty asks a cynical duke for lessons in how to kindle a gentleman’s ardor—not realizing she’s opening her heart to unexpected love with her arousing tutor.

Clever and charming Roslyn Loring, the middle of three beautiful, independent sisters, knows true happiness lies in a marriage of the heart—and she has hers set on a love-match with a neighboring earl. Yet her sharp mind has observed an undeniable truth: gentlemen lavish passion on their mistresses, not their wives. Roslyn realizes that to win her future husband’s devotion, she must learn the secrets of kindling a gentleman’s ardor. Fortunately, she finds a willing tutor in the Duke of Arden, a notorious rake whispered to be London’s most magnificent lover. If his searing kisses are any indication, Drew Moncrief is the ideal man to teach her how to be the perfect mistress.

Drew begins her schooling while coolly guarding his heart. But as best-laid plans are thwarted by unexpected events—a night of unforgettable passion and a hurried betrothal—Roslyn and her wickedly arousing tutor discover how easily lessons in pleasure can become lessons in love….

Read an excerpt.

TO SEDUCE A BRIDE
The Courtship Wars Series, Book 3, release 25 Mar 08

To escape a seductive nobleman’s unwanted courtship, a spirited hoyden takes refuge in a London pleasure house, where her determined suitor must woo her under the eagle eyes of her protective courtesan friends if he hopes to make her his bride.

Spirited beauty Lilian Loring wants nothing to do with men—especially eligible noblemen who want to court her! Love, she believes, guarantees heartbreak and is best avoided entirely, even if her unwanted suitor is the dangerously tempting Heath Griffin, Marquess of Claybourne. But Lily’s protests fail to convince the persistent rogue, who can’t believe any woman could resist his seductive charms. After all, didn’t Lily melt under his scorching kisses? So why does she flee from him to hide out in the last place a gentleman would look for a lady: a house of scandalous repute?

In bold pursuit, Heath discovers his enchanting spitfire cheerfully instructing the demimonde in the art of deportment and manners. Now, the thrill of the chase is exceeded only by his powerful need to possess Lily as his bride. But their game of temptation and courtship has high stakes: Victory demands not only winning Lily’s luscious body but her elusive heart as well….

Read an excerpt.

This is the new trilogy that has kept us without a book this year from Nicole Jordan. It will be released back to back starting on January 29, 2008. What do you think? No of the books… we will talk more about the trilogy in a min.

I have to say they ring bells for me and sound a lil bit like other books. But I love a guardian/ward story and the first chapter has me interested. Even if it calls to mind Hunter’s Seducer Series . And the excerpt for the second book, To Bed a Beauty, was interesting as well.

I hope the books themselves live up to the excerpts.

In continuing with the grand giveaways, we’ve got another winner.

In sharing her ghost story with Kathryn Smith, and the rest of us, the winner gets a signed copies of Be Mine Tonight and Night of the Huntress.

The lucky winner is. . . Lis!

Congratulations! Be sure to email your physical address to sybil @ tgtbtu .com (no spaces) in order to receive your prize.

Thanks to everyone who commented!

 

I am proud to announce the winner to the I vant to bite your book contest for the three ARCs from Lynsay Sands.

The winner is . . . . Christine!

Congratulations to Christine and I’m also happy to announce that since Avon was so generous with prizes we’ve got a couple of lucky runners up that are getting some gifts as well.

The first runner up is . . .Stacia Helpman!

Stacia is winning a wonderful Kim Harrison prize pack (I don’t remember the exact deets, but be sure to mention Kim Harrison and this contest to collect your prize).

The second runner up is . . .Samantha!

Samantha is winning a wonderful prize pack of the Avon October releases.

To get your prize email your physical address to Sybil at sybil @ tgtbtu .com (no spaces).  Put “I vant to bite you” in the email’s subject line.

Congrats to our winners!!

Congratulations to Linda Watson!

On Stephanie Rowe’s Spooktacular post about the best (or worst) costume, Linda won for her tale about dressing up as. . .a feminine hygiene product. That takes some cajones sister.

Thanks to everyone who commented about costumes of Halloween past.

Be sure to email Sybil at sybil @ tgtbtu .com (no spaces) with your physical address so that you can get your prize, a copy of Date Me, Baby, One More Time by Stephanie Rowe.

Once A Rake by Rona Sharon **Check out the new site**

Summary here

Excerpt:

London, 1817

Isabel Aubrey drew a fortifying breath and climbed the front steps of Lancaster House. The Earl of Ashby’s private residence was situated on Park Lane, the finest street address in Mayfair. For years she had passed by his home, aware he was somewhere on the Continent, risking his life fighting against Napoleon. Then two years ago, soon after Waterloo, he had come back.

Her heart beat wildly as she tapped the brass knocker against the door and waited. A rotund butler answered the door. “Good morning, miss. How may I help you?”

Isabel smiled. “Good morning. I’m here to call on his lordship.”

The butler shook his bald head ruefully. “His lordship doesn’t receive callers, miss. My apologies, and a good day to you.” The door closed softly in her face.

Read the rest of the excerpt here…

Rona will has the niftiest two posts coming soon (dates TBA) and has two very cool prizes to give away. Stay tuned…

Dame Edna, Mistress of Random Bits o’ Halloween Lore, has picked the winners of her progressive story contest.  They are:

• Most: Sharmi with five contributions.
• Funniest: Ramona Joy, Comment 31: “…expelled black ink from a random orifice…” 
• Spookiest: Shannon C, Comment 14: Edna liked the vampire awakening “from his torpor.”

You have each won a “to be determined” prize pack to be picked by Kate Duffy, editor extraordinaire.

Congrats and please email your name and mailing address to tgtbtu @ goodbadandunread . com (remove spaces) by noon CST on Friday, November 09, 2007. And it would be just duckie if you could put “Cunning Contest” in the subject line.

We want to thank E.C. Sheedy for being such an amazing author and so easy to work with. You are one fine duck, Edna, and the blog is lucky to have such a friend. (Please remember that the first time we give you a bad review.)

The Spooktacular Mistress of Randomness is hard at work coming up with da winners of da contest of spooktacular tales. (she has turned them in and is just waiting on that slow duckie gwen)

We are going to kidnap Kathryn. She is leaving tomorrow for a booksigning but just because she isn’t here, doesn’t mean we can’t talk about her. Right? Her posts will start going up shortly.

Plus we have winners, winners and more winners to announce! We will be announcing them all weekend! Only here is the deal, I still have a few more to post. So I could keep the books (shush gwen) or extend our Spooktacularness until SUNDAY.

Hey I believe in birthday weeks too! Sooooo yeah more books coming… winners coming… and we will dish with kate. And as always the reviews. They will be spotty until Sunday, then Monday we will go back to the nifty schedule I am sure you didn’t notice we were keeping.

The Spooktacular Deborah Cooke already announced her winner on her blog so hey I figured we should here too.

Deborah Cooke wants to be a princess in drag(on) winner is:

Kim

Please email your address to redwyne @ redwyne . com (no spaces)! Thanks!

 Sybil’s been yelling at me to get this posted, but with all the Spooktacular fun to be had, I just didn’t have time! But I do now!

The winner of the New Jersey Romance Author’s are Generous limerick/haiku contest and recipient of the fantabulous prize from Caroline Linden is….

Zara

Her limerick had all of us giggling like little girls:

Twas a band of beauties from Jersey
Slow to anger and harder to vex
They channeled their passion
Put their pens into action
To write of love and mind melting sex!

Honorable Mention goes to Sharmi’s haiku. It was something to which, in one shape or another, we can all relate:

bookshelf is overflowing
don’t tell husband how many
quick, hide the bookstore bag!

Congratulations Zara!  Send your physical address to us at tgtbtu @ goodbadandunread . com (minus the spaces).

Kathryn Smith, author of Taken by the Night (releases today), answers a few of Sybil’s questions for TGTBTU readers…

Sybil: My first love as I often say are historicals. And the first books I read of yours were your Avon historicals. So we will just get this out of the way quickly… when are you writing me another historical novel?

Kathryn Smith: Well, thank you! I love writing historicals — that’s why my paranormal series is historical as well. I might write a straight historical in the future, but for now I think the darker, paranormal setting suits my ‘voice.’

S: Why vampires? Did you decide to get in on the hot paranormal trend or was it ‘suggested’ to you? And whatever that answer is, why vamps?

KS: Before the paranormal craze swept the market, my editor at Avon (then Kelly Harms) and I were looking for ways to boost my career. She told me that she thought I could write a really good vampire romance, given my penchant for wounded heroes. Being a vamp-hag from waaaay back, I jumped at the chance. Next thing you know, vamps are all over the place — the story of my life! Don’t get me wrong, I love vampires and I’ve had a lot of fun with the Brotherhood, but once this series is done, I’m taking a break from blood suckers.

S: I keep hearing you talking about your “Nightmare” books. What the heck are those and how do you turn nightmares into romance, or should I say one that ends in HEA?

KS: The Nightmare Chronicles centers around Dawn, whose mother is mortal and whose father is Morpheus, god of dreams. She shouldn’t exist in our world, but she does. In fact, Dawn can travel between the mortal world and the dream realm with little difficulty. She can also interact between the two worlds, which makes people on both sides nervous. In the first book she finds herself the target of a Night Terror (think creepy, sexy bad dude), embroiled in Dream Realm politics, and romantically involved with a patient, who is also a lucid dreamer. While there is something of an HEA, the relationship will be ongoing throughout each book, growing and changing just like these things do in ‘real’ life. I like to think of this series as romantic urban fantasy.

S: What is your favorite historical novel that you have written?

KS: Hmmm. Honestly, I love LET THE NIGHT BEGIN, which is out next year [ed.: 24 Jun 08]. I just finished it a few months ago and it turned out really tight. Plus, I love both the hero and the heroine. Outside of the vamps, I think my favorite was FOR THE FIRST TIME. I loved Blythe and I could still just eat Devlin alive. lol.

S: Out of any book written right now that isn’t yours, what do you wish you had written?

KS: Hmmm. I wish I had written GUILTY PLEASURES, the first Anita Blake book by Laurell K Hamilton. Or maybe the first Harry Potter ?

S: Bonus question, Just how exciting was it that you got to meet me in Dallas?!?! And how come you were already drunk when I ran into you later but didn’t offer to buy ME a drink?

KS: I was thrilled to the very core of my being, of course! And darling, I’m never drunk. Wherever did you get that idea? I’ll buy you a drink next time.

Saint came to London looking for a little rest, blood, and maybe some feminine company. He never wanted to avenge the murders of two prostitutes, and he certainly never asked for the censure he sees in Ivy Dearing’s eyes.

Though, the desire he sees there awakens a hunger inside him unlike any he has ever known. He is not the only man taken in by Ivy’s considerable charms, but he plans to be the only man in her bed. And when the madman he’s hunting turns his attention toward Ivy, Saint will risk everything – even his immortality – to save the woman he loves.

Just in case you haven’t noticed… this isn’t your run of the mill Avon historical. The whorehouse in question is really a brothel. Ivy really does know what momma runs and likes these women.

So we will just put a warning on here to beware no widowed virgins in this story (not that there is anything WRONG with some widowed virgins damn it!). Just saying…

First excerpt can be found here

E X C E R P T

Ivy was still thinking about her mother’s surprising confession at Clementine’s funeral that afternoon, although the fact that her mother had kept quiet about Saint’s importance in her past paled in the shadow of her grief.

Why had she never known that it was Saint who saved her mother from a slow and frigid death on the streets of London? He found her alone, weak and about to give birth and took her to Maison Rouge where, after Ivy’s birth, she worked, was treated well and eventually became madam.

Ivy’s life wouldn’t have been half so comfortable were it not for Saint.

Damn it.

She stood beside her mother on the damp grass, a tiny bouquet of violets in her hand. They were joined by the ladies and staff of Maison Rouge and members of Clemmy’s family. Gathered around the small hole in the ground, the damp, clean air smelling of earth and flowers, the group perspired and fidgeted in their mourning clothes as a unseasonably warm sun shone down upon them.

A trickle of sweat ran down Ivy’s jaw from her hairline, but she ignored it, letting it flow as the tears refused to. She wanted to weep for her lost friend. She wanted to scream at the newspaper artist capturing the scene from several feet away. She wanted to slap the authorities for doing nothing.

Whores across the city could be in grave danger, and yet the pimps sent them out onto the streets, not wanting to risk losing one penny of revenue. Did the police patrol those areas of London ‘unfortunate’ women frequented any more than usual? No. Did they send anyone to Chelsea to watch over her mother’s establishment? No.

No one cared if prostitutes died. Foolishly, she had hoped Saint might. That he didn’t seem to made her feel all the more stupid for making an idol of him in her youth.

As soon as the thought of him entered her mind, Ivy pushed it away. She would not allow him to take the pain of this moment away from her. She wanted to feel empty and hollow and lost — Clemmy deserved no less.

Clementine’s mother stood across from them. She was a handsome woman, but years of hard living had taken their toll on her face and figure. Draped in black and holding a rosary, she stood straight and silent, a steady trail of tears streaming down her lined cheeks.

Watching her, Ivy felt an awful prickling behind her own eyes. What a horrible ordeal for this poor woman, to lose her daughter in such a fashion. To have the newspaper people and morbid onlookers watching her, taking some kind of horrid delight in her sorrow.

Warm fingers twined with Ivy’s and squeezed. Ivy squeezed back. She and her mother didn’t have to speak to know what the other was thinking. For all the times she might lose her patience or not understand her mother, Ivy loved her with all her heart and knew she was loved in return.

When the vicar concluded, Clementine’s mother threw a handful of dirt on the casket. Ivy, her mother and the rest of the Maison Rouge mourners tossed a variety of flowers — mostly violets — into the grave as well. Then, Ivy put an arm around her mother’s shoulders and escorted her to where the carriages waited. There was enough for all of them. Madeline had been determined that no one would have to walk home from the funeral — that no one would be alone for the vultures to take advantage of.

They rode home in silence. It wasn’t until they were inside the house that her mother spoke. “Ivy, be a love and fetch a bottle of wine from the cellar will you?”

“I’m sure there is some in the cabinet, Mama.”

Her mother stripped off her gloves. “I want one of the good ones.”

A sneer threatened. “Trying to impress Saint?”

Madeline sighed. “Please, darling.”

And so Ivy went. She could not deny her mother, no matter how much she detested the preferential treatment Madeline gave Saint. She understood that her mother felt beholden to the vampire, but what of the arrangement the vampires had with Maison Rouge and all who lived there? The house provided food and shelter, and yes, female companionship to the vampires in return for financial security and protection. When was the last time they had asked their benefactors for anything? And just a few weeks earlier — before the murders started — one of them had been there, glutting himself on practically every girl in the house. They came, they took what they wanted and they left again. They had done it for decades and they always would.

Using the concealed entrance under the stairs, Ivy stomped down to the cellar, her ire growing with her descent. It was directed at Saint, but he didn’t deserve all of it, she was woman enough to admit that. Much of her anger stemmed from her own helplessness. There didn’t seem to be a damn thing she could do on her own to find justice for her friends.

Not even her good friend Justin would help her. He said he admired her, but when she asked him to aid her in her quest, he told her that he didn’t want her endangering herself.

As if he had some kind of right to demand that of her.

Good God, if she didn’t find some way to release the frustration inside her she would explode with it. It threatened to consume her. In fact, she was so preoccupied with her own helplessness that she didn’t even notice she was no longer alone until her hand closed around a dusty bottle of red wine on the rack on the far wall.

“French or Italian?” A smooth voice asked.

“Bloody hell!” Ivy’s heart pounded like it was trying to burst from her chest and run for cover. Thankfully she hadn’t lifted the bottle, otherwise she’d have to explain a destroyed bottle to her mother.

Hand pressed to her bosom, and slightly giddy from the scare, she turned. He stood near the entrance to his secret apartment, looking rumpled and careless and infuriatingly lovely.

“What are you doing here?” It was still daylight. “Shouldn’t you be asleep?”

“Good afternoon to you too,” he replied silkily, as though she amused him. “Contrary to popular belief, we vampires do not have to sleep from sunrise to sunset. We can wake whenever we chose, just as mortals do. It is only that the day puts us…on edge, and the light of it can kill us.”

“Only that?” It was no use trying to keep the sarcasm from her voice. “So you thought you’d skulk around the cellar until it was safe to come up stairs?”

The light in the cellar wasn’t the best, and there was only one bulb, but still she could see him arch a brow at her tone. “I’m hungry. There’s no blood in my room.”

She would not feel guilty for forgetting about him, not when she had been at the graveyard burying her friends, but there was a twinge in her stomach anyway.

“We were at a funeral, Mr. Saint,” she informed him coolly. “If you would wait here, I’ll see that…something is brought to you.” He’d have to settle for something bottled because she’d be damned if she’d send one of the girls down after all they’d been through.

She turned to go. Fast as lightening, he moved around her, blocking her path. “So deliciously tart,” he murmured, that mocking smile curving the bow of his lips. “And yet you look so undeniably sweet. Which is it, Miss Dearing?”

Ivy’s own lips tightened, but she was more annoyed at the traitorous pounding of her heart than his audacity. She did not want to like him — she didn’t like him — and yet she could not deny the raw sexuality of him. But she didn’t have to respond to it. She wasn’t seventeen anymore.

“Are you trying to frighten me?” She demanded. “Because I assure you, it won’t work.”

Saint’s smile grew, revealing sharp, white teeth that were startling in the tan of his face. His fangs weren’t extended, but she shivered a little just the same. He raised his hand, brushing her cheek with the rough, warm tips of his long fingers.

“Frighten you? Never.” He leaned in, bringing his head downward, closer to hers so that she could feel the warmth of him, smell the spicy scent of his skin.

“What I’m trying to discover, Miss Dearing, is whether or not you are on the menu.”

The Lost Memiors of Jane Austen by Syrie James

Many rumors abound about a mysterious gentleman said to be the love of Jane’s life—finally, the truth may have been found. . . .

What if, hidden in an old attic chest, Jane Austen’s memoirs were discovered after hundreds of years? What if those pages revealed the untold story of a life-changing love affair? That’s the premise behind this spellbinding novel, which delves into the secrets of Jane Austen’s life, giving us untold insights into her mind and heart.

Jane Austen has given up her writing when, on a fateful trip to Lyme, she meets the well-read and charming Mr. Ashford, a man who is her equal in intellect and temperament. Inspired by the people and places around her, and encouraged by his faith in her, Jane begins revising Sense and Sensibility, a book she began years earlier, hoping to be published at last.

Deft and witty, written in a style that echoes Austen’s own, this unforgettable novel offers a delightfully possible scenario for the inspiration behind this beloved author’s romantic tales. It’s a remarkable book, irresistible to anyone who loves Jane Austen—and to anyone who loves a great story.

The Jane Austen homage continues with this debut book. Like Becoming Jane, it’s a what if? history that discusses the possibility of Austen’s love life. This definitely ties in with the current trend of Austen related things, such as Becoming Jane and Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict. For more on the Austenmania check out this past post on the impact of Jane Austen.

But being a busy busy teacher (oh why did I agree to sponsor Model UN?) and the date being moved up from January to November 6, this is unfortunately getting cut from my to be reviewed pile.

In spirit of the occasion (and ’cause Syb let me) I want to offer this as a contest and guest review for one lucky Austen fan:

• Just tell me do you love the what if? stories, especially about Jane Austen?
• Favorite adaption of her life so far?
• Is fictionalizing her life skewing history to portray someone who didn’t exist? Hard to say isn’t it, but yet also interesting to think about. Maybe that’s just crazy historian me. . .who knows? This enquiring mind wants to know!

Be sure to comment on this post by November 3rd at midnight CDT.

Christine Warren shares some bounty with TGTBTU’s readers.  Her new book, Howl at the Moon, comes out tomorrow. 

 Here’s the book blurb:

Noah Baker never wanted to betray The Others. But if his military commanders want him to covertly investigate a Lupine scientist—whose extraordinary research on sensory perception in werewolves could be used to develop werewolf-sharp senses in human soldiers—Noah must oblige. Even if it means deceiving the woman he desires the most.
 
Samantha Carstairs is the personal assistant to the Alpha of the Silverback Clan, and as best friend to the Lupine community’s most brilliant scientist, she is privy to its most dangerous secret. Noah knows that Sam will never leak the scientific research…so he must find another way to get it, while keeping Sam close. But someone else is after Sam’s secret. Who is the other spy infiltrating The Others? If their genetic secrets get into the wrong hands, all hell could break loose. Now Noah’s true loyalty is put to the test as he fights to protect The Others—and his beloved Sam—and find the imposter…before it’s too late.

Comment by 2am CDT tonight (using the blog timestamp) and win the following prize… 

 Hi all!

I can offer one lucky winner a full set of signed paperbacks:

• No Rest for the Witches (anthology, my signature only)
• Wolf at the Door, the Others Book 1
• She’s No Faerie Princess, the Others Book 2
• The Demon You Know, the Others Book 3
• Howl at the Moon, the Others Book 4 (due out Nov 1st)

 

Howlingly yours,
Christine Warren

For Halloween, I want to be a…

Doesn’t everyone? Think of the perks – the pointy hat with the veil on the end (haven’t you always wanted one of those?); the floaty dresses made of satin and velvet and brocade; staff to schlep the dry cleaning. A turreted castle with every luxury at your fingertip. Legions of princes doing the Entry Interview with Dad to get to court you – as well as the occasional pauper with aspirations.

And a dragon.

Not on your list? Well, dragons were always on mine. I’ve always wanted a lean mean fighting machine of my own, a fabulous fabled beast that looked jewelled in the candlelight. Who wouldn’t want a man who could turn in on when he wanted to, one who kept a golden treasure hoard of his very own, one always ready to rip out throats in defense of his lady love.

Who had to be – if you check your fairy tales – a princess, a virgin or a damsel-in-distress. I’m not much for being in distress and we won’t even talk about the other option. So, since I want a dragon of my own, a princess I’ll have to be.

I’ve always been fascinated with dragons and now I understand why I always wanted to dress as a princess at Halloween. It was my favourite costume – my mother and I routinely argued over a princess’s needs for boots, a hat and mitts, maybe (on snowy Halloweens) a jacket under her flowing gossamer gown. I knew that such things, although warm, would trash the ethereal princess look, but never won the argument. (Being six years old bites.)

Maybe that’s why I don’t have a dragon of my own yet. They must be picky, these dangerous dudes who breathe fire and have a taste for maidens. They must be worth the trouble, despite their tempers and their inevitable damage to the upholstery. So, I’ve created a world of dragons of my very own in a new series of fantasy romances called Dragonfire. 

They’re sexy hunks, these shape shifting dragon dudes, and I’m having a lot of fun telling their stories. You can meet Quinn, the first one of my Pyr dragon warriors, in February ’08 in KISS OF FIRE.

Even better, add a comment here and you can win the drawing for an Advance Reading Copy of KISS OF FIRE! They look like this.

Signed,
Deborah Cooke
Fairy Princess

The Irish, and their Celtic ancestors, take most of the credit for our celebration of Halloween—but then the Irish do like their fun! And when so many Irish came to America to escape the 1840’s potato famine, they brought Hallowe’en with them.

Want a recipe for an Irish supper—often associated with Halloween on the Emerald Isle? Try this, if you dare… ;-)

COLCANNON

1 head of Cabbage (green)
3 pounds of potatoes
1 medium onion
Butter to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional other ingredients: milk, cream, leeks, chives, garlic, boiled ham, or Irish bacon

• Boil the potatoes, drain and mash them (no lumps allowed).
• Chop up the cooked cabbage and sauté in the butter until soft.
• Mix into the potatoes.
• Pile it in mounds on hot plates and put a well of butter in the middle of each mound.

Carbs?  Did I hear someone say carbs? Oh, hell, between this recipe and all the sugar brought home by the trick-or-treaters Halloween is pretty much a diet write off anyway.

On Thursday November 1st, the day after Halloween, we will award three prizes to the posters in EC Sheedy’s Spooktacular Story. The prizes will be bunches o’ books and not ‘just’ books but paranormal fiction!

One Spooktacular bunch o’books will be Zebra titles

One Spooktacular bunch o’books will be Brava titles

One Spooktacular bunch o’books will be Aphrodisia titles

Each bunch o’books will have at least five titles, maybe more. Stay tuned for more info… I need to get some deets from the Spooktacular Mistress of Randomness.

My Most Notorious Halloween Costume (a.k.a. How Not to Win the Guy)
by Stephanie Rowe

It all started with a guy.

Doesn’t it always?

His name was Brad, and he was hot. Dark hair, dark eyes, buff body of an ice hockey player, incredibly smart, very funny, and very nice. And we’d been flirting. Oh, yes, I had caught his eye. Not his heart, not his hand and certainly not his lips, but I was in the ballgame, and I needed to close the deal, because I wasn’t the only girl hunting him, and the others had the bigger breasts, hair that was actually pretty, and all sorts of other attributes I didn’t have.

But I had something they didn’t. I was fun. I knew how to hang with the guys. I knew how to be the life of the party, and I was going to make it pay off.

So… here comes Halloween…. a party… I was invited… Brad was invited… it was *my* moment and I was going to make the best play I had and cross my fingers. We were in college, so what theme do you think the party had? That’s right! Toga party, baby!!!!

It was Maine. It was cold. Most people were putting togas on over their LL Bean boots and fleece jackets.

But how do you snare a guy when you’re wearing a sheet over a parka? There’s so nothing sexy about that. So, my two best friends and I decided we would brave the elements in pursuit of true love (is there any grander purpose in life??) and we would don bikini tops under the toga, so that no straps would be showing, just a sexy, bare shoulder and a collar bone just begging to be kissed. Brilliant idea, I say, brilliant!

So, we all donned the tube top style bikinis (in my wizened old age, I have no recollection of where we managed to *find* bikinis in Maine in October, but I will just attribute it to creative genius and move on), artfully tied and retied and retied our damn sheets until they stayed on and hid the bikini tops. We looked fantastic. Total goddess, for certain. Brad would fall to his knees and beg for me to make him mine. Ecstatic with the prospects for the evening, we hooked elbows, threw open that front door and braved the sub-zero Maine weather to hustle to the toga party.

It was a brilliant night. I worked the party, I flirted, I danced, I laughed, got plenty of attention from the boys, but none from Brad. Just really weird looks and a healthy dose of “stay the hell away” vibe. What was up with that? By the end of the night, I found my friends to get them to leave, heartily disappointed in my failures as a woman and a female. Was it my breath? My shampoo? Had I forgotten to shave my armpits? Devastated, I found my friends and begged to go home. My friends, however, took one look at me, and pointed to my chest.

I looked down.

The toga had slipped down on my rib cage, revealing the bikini top.

Except there was no bikini top.

It had slipped down, as strapless tops are wont to do on small breasted women.

No toga. No bikini. Just a bare, naked breast hanging out there for all the world to see. All damn night. No wonder the boys had liked me. No wonder Brad hadn’t. Who wants an exhibitionist for a girlfriend? Ah… yeah… one of my better moments…

Epilogue:
No. I never dated Brad. Some moments simply can’t be overcome.  [Ed.: He didn't deserve you, Stephanie!]

What are your best (or worst) costume memories? A random comment will be picked to win a copy of my book Date Me, Baby, One More Time .

Coming this January, February and March are three back-to-back new Argeneau novels by Lynsay Sands.

The Accidental Vampire (Argeneau Vampires, Book 7)
Released December 26, 2007

Ever since an acciendent turned her into a vamp, Elvi Black’s been sleeping in a coffin, staying out of the sun and giving up garlic. She knows there’s more to behind undead than what she saw in Dracula, but she can’t very well ask her mortal friends about proper biting etiquette. Then her neighbors place a personal ad for her in the local paper . . .

Victor Argeneau is the perfect man for a novice neck-biter like Elvi, but he’ll have to act quickly, because someone has decided to put a stake through her new vamp life.

Those familiar with the Argeneau series know that Victor is Vincent’s (from A Bite to Remember) father.

Vampires are Forever (Argeneau Vampires, Book 8 )
Releases January 29, 2008

Inez is a businesswoman-practical in every way. So vampires can’t possibly exist . . .can they? She’s beginning to have her doubts, especially when her business associate Thomas Argeneau exhibits some interesting traits . . .like an allergic reaction to the sun, excellent night vision, and not much of an appetite for food. And to top it all off, he just tried to bite her neck!

Thomas has been waiting at least two hundred years for a woman like Inez. . .those luscious lips, seductive curves, and her elegant neck . . . he just couldn’t resist the temptation of one little bite. Now he’ll do anything to convince her that only an immortal like him can satisfy her all night long.

Vampire, Interrupted (Argeneau Vampires, Book 9)
Releases February 26, 2008

After seven hundred years of life, Marguerite Argeneau finally has a career. Well the start of one, anyway. She’s training to be a private investigator, and her first assignment is to find an immortal’s mother. It seems simple enough, until she finds herself at the wrong end of a sword. Now she realizes she’s in way over her head.

Julius Notte wants to protect Marguerite, and not because someone just tried to take her head off. She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s his lifemate and he’s determined to woo her. It’s been over five hundred years sine he last courted a woman, but surely the techniques haven’t changed. . .

I’m rather excited about these three books coming back to back. The Argeneau series is a favorite of mine (yep, all of them are on my keeper bookcase) and three in a row is spectacular. Le sigh. If only I had the time to read them sooner than I do. . .

I know it’s somewhat predictable, what with the “Storywitch” website and all, but a witch. A willowy, elfin witch who looks forward to Halloween every year, who buys a new filmy black dress with long draping sleeves (to go with her long black nails) and a flowing skirt with triangular points to reveal tiny high heeled boots that lace up over the calves.

I’d hop on my broom which, to celebrate the holiday, will be draped with black and orange ribbons and battery operated pumpkin and bat lights, and take off from the roof to soar through the night sky. I can go so fast that with one blink I’m soaring through black rolling clouds and shards of lightning where the electricity vibrates through my body and the rain slides down my neck.

Then on the next blink, I’m traveling through places where the skies are clear and show the stars sparkling like diamonds. The moon hangs so low I feel the weight of anticipation like the sweet chance of a lover’s embrace. I spiral up, dive, somersault and know the freedom of this night is incomparable with any other night, for this is when the Veil is thin and anything is possible. There is no fear of falling, no matter how large the leap.

At length, I am skimming along the ocean, a stretch of beach beyond civilization. The foam is milky white, like cream in the moonlight against the glittering sand. And they are dancing. All the witches are gathering here, their legs and feet bare, skirts hiked up in their hands as they laugh and cavort in the shallows, their brooms diving among them playfully like chimney swifts.

The spark of their uncontained magic arcs over them like ribbons of multi-colored flame. The cat familiars that accompanied them stay well above the water line, sitting in a straight black row with matching yellow-eyed looks of disdain.

The witches raise their hands as they see me coming, for I am welcome, one of them. I keep going, toward a circle just beyond them, because there is one I must see first. He is dancing, his head covered with the semblance of a magnificent stag, his body strong and muscular, covered with a light sheen of sweat.

He turns when he sees me. When he stops to remove the stag’s head, the soft fur slides over his broad shoulders the way my fingers itch to do. His dark hair whispers across the high cheekbones, his eyes glittering with an anticipation matched by my own… There can only be joy in coming to the Lord on such a night and paying homage to him with lips and hands, body and soul…

It’s good to be a witch.  :)

Tell me why vampires are so sexy to romance readers (send to storywitch @ ec . rr . com, minus the spaces). I’ll pick my favorite answer and that person will win a signed copy of The Vampire Queen’s Servant (or another title of their choosing if they’ve read that one!).

That answer will also be posted on my author blog, along with highlights from some of the other responses. Deadline for responses is midnight, October 31. I’ll do the drawing November 1 after I’ve returned from my nighttime broomstick ride and had my first cup of eye-of-newt to wake up.

Signed,
The Storywitch
Joey W. Hill

I hope so cuz I am not too sure the site is ready. But hey, we float with the flow around here and we hope you can too.

Expect the next three days to be jam packed with Halloween fun, freakyness and of course it will be spooktacular.

We have some awesome authors telling tales and giving away some nifty treats for your tricks. Keep an eye on the Spooktacular Guest List (psst on the sidebar) we will be updating our guests as their posts go live! And each post will have a contest all of its own.

As will as some duckies will be ready to spook you… and yes that is more prizes.

To kick off the fun our Spooktacular Mistress of Randomness is hosting story time and Kensington is providing prizes! You know you wanna play *g*. And that is just the beginning…

Do let us know as you come across anything that goes bump in the blog in a bad way. It is possible we are already aware and working on it but one never knows with us ducks. Yeah I am not sure who’s idea it was to redoing the template right before we went Spooktacular…. personally I am blaming bev. ::shrug:: works for me