Music? Perfume? Free Books! It MUST BE A CONTEST!
April 3, 2008
Tragic news in Romancelandia. Pamela Clare, gracious and talented author of Unlawful Contact, had a computer commit suicide on her. And thus she has lost her music! Which is why there was no contest during her Guest Quacking... and why she seemed to disappear for half of the day. Technology. She's a fickle mistress. I mean. It's a tragedy of Shakespearian proportions in this day and age. Read more
Tags: 2008, April 2008, Contest, Guests Author Day, pamela clare, PC GAD Apr08, Unlawful ContactGUEST AUTHOR DAY: Pamela Clare does some Q’s and A’s
April 1, 2008
Pamela Clare joins us today for some Q's and A's. Read on to learn more about this accomplished, award-winning author and journalist. Don't forget to catch her newest romantic suspense release, Unlawful Contact (Berkley, 1 Apr 08).
GUEST AUTHOR DAY: Pamela Clare
April 1, 2008
Today we have the wonderful, talented, and multiple award winning, author and journalist Pamela Clare guesting with us. She's here to mark the release of her latest romantic suspense, Unlawful Contact, and to spend some time with the TGTBTU readers.
We'll have...
Tags: 2008, April 2008, Guests Author Day, pamela clare, PC GAD Apr08, Unlawful ContactGuest Author Day: Sherry Thomas gives us Seven Reasons to Read “Sugar Daddy”
March 24, 2008
I want to be Lisa Kleypas when I grow up. Yeah, I know that’s not an original wish, but the woman is beautiful both on the inside and the outside, has legions of adoring fans, and, according to bloggers who’ve lunched with her, totally knows how to order wine.
Tags: 2008, Contest, Guest Author Post, Guests Author Day, March 2008, Private Arrangements, Sherry Thomas, ST GAD Mar08Guest Author Day: Learning English the Passionate Way by Sherry Thomas
March 24, 2008
Sherry Thomas, author of Private Arrangements (Bantam, 25 Mar 08), is today's Guest Author and she's here to share several posts with TGTBTU's readers. So read on to learn more about this amazing author...
Women, Rogues and Gentlemen
September 8, 2006
What a Gentleman Wants
September 06.
(RIGHT NOW! WAITING FOR YOU TO BUY IT!)
Do I read my finished books:
Yes.
It's a sick habit, and I always find a typo, but by the time the book comes out, it's been so long since I wrote it, it’s like a whole new story to me: hey, I wrote that?
The hero did what? Wow...who knew?
It's almost like revisiting a prior life--although it may just be proof that I am losing my mind.
Have I always wanted to be a writer:
Nope. I spent college trying NOT to write (see: math major; problem sets). It left more time for TV viewing and partying.
How long does it take to write a book:
One bottle of Kahlua, three viewings of Pride and Prejudice (BBC version), and multiple batches of chocolate cookies.
Plus a zillion hours of web surfing, aka ‘research.’
Where do I get my ideas:
In the shower. Sometimes at the grocery market. And once at the dentist's office.
What's next:
What A Rogue Desires, in September 2007 (or thereabouts).
Anyone who reads What A Gentleman Wants will probably be able to guess who the rogue is.
It wasn't my plan to write that book, but (honest) my editor asked for it.
Now it is your turn!Have a question for Caroline? Go for it!
Tags: Caroline Linden, Guests Author Day, What a Gentleman Wants, What a Rogue DesiresGuest Author: JR Ward
September 5, 2006
 |
 I can't think of an introduction for today's guest author. Because really, who hasn't heard of Lover Awakened (released today!)? |
Do I even need to pull out my button?
No matter if you are lusting after the book or tired of hearing about it, ten to one, JR Ward, Black Dagger Brother Hood and Zsadist are names you have seen around.
At a time when paranormals seem to be on every author's coming soon list,
has created a stand out series with The Black Dagger Brotherhood.
Dark Lover will grab you, Lover Eternal keep you and Lover Awakened will tear you apart and slowly put you back together again.
And then leave you lusting for Lover Revealed. Lucky for us there are still more brothers out there.
And they all need a happy ever after, it is just a matter of getting through what Ward puts them through to reach it.
I have a fab Q&A to post (sez she who wrote the questions) hopefully they aren't things you have already read 20 million times.
And if they are, feel free to ask your own *g*. Ward will be popping in through out the day to answer your questions.
Or you know... say keep reading.
I do ask you that you keep any Lover Awakened Spoilers to ONE thread - Spoiler Zone.
All other threads must be spoiler free for the virgin readers who wish to remain untouched.
For more things Zsadist, Brotherhood or JR Ward... you can see her website, message board (you have to join to play) and/or yahoo group.
Thanks again to JR Ward for being a guest author and giving away such a nifty prize. She is the first author to return... it brings a tear to my eye.
Tags: Black Dagger Brotherhood series, Guests Author Day, J.R. Ward, Lover Awakened, ZsadistGuest Author: JR Ward asks… Can I get REC here?
September 5, 2006
Okay, so no big surprise here but I've got a thing for tortured heroes. And I was thinking about them the other night. Why? Maybe because Z's coming out now? Well... yeah.
But more because I reread FLASHPOINT by Suz Brockmann. I was staying over at my mom's house and I picked it off the shelf and totally got lost in it. AGAIN.
Jimmy Nash, the hero, is what I would consider tortured. I'm not going to go into the particulars because I couldn't do him justice- suffice it to say he's in a job that's a killer, literally, and he's got a hardcore past. Anyway, there is an amazing scene where he's talking to the heroine and he's struggling to express himself about some targets that he eliminated. I was like, breathless, even though I'd read the dayum book like how many times?
Why was I all in Jimmy Nash's head? Why was I up in the middle of the night reading when I should have been sleeping? Because I'm a Suz fangirl?
Well, DUH.
Yes. But fangirl stuff aside, there's something gripping about the raw emotions on those pages. Because when a tortured hero opens up, you get a lot out of him and that's what I like to see.
As a writer, I find that the most tortured heroes of the Black Dagger Brotherhood books are my favorites: Zsadist, Vishous, Rehvenge and Qhuinn, as I said. As a reader, my taste is consistent with this... so I'm curious what tortured heroes folks have liked best in the books they've read lately (and yeah, I'm kind of looking for recommendations for me- I don't read vampires really, but I'm open to everything else!)
What's doing for you? What do you suggest I check out?
Tags: Black Dagger Brotherhood series, Guests Author Day, J.R. Ward, Lover Awakened, ZsadistWard Takes on Five
September 5, 2006
[click the question to see answer]
****DO NOT POST LOVER AWAKENED SPOILERS IN THIS THREAD***
please and thank you 
First, thanks for having me! LOVER AWAKENED is Zsadist's book. Out of all the Brotherhood, Z is my favorite... (I'm also a huge V and Rehvenge and Qhuinn fan but who's counting).Z is probably the most dangerous of the Brothers. He's the one who, in the words of his twin, is ruined, not broken.
Held as a blood slave for a century, he was horribly abused and emerged violent, unpredictable and essentially soulless. The book is about him and his mate, Bella, a beautiful aristocrat, and the love they find together.
Out of the four books you have completed, what has surprised you the most?
When I started to write the series, I kind of expected each book to feel the same. I mean... in terms of tone. But they're not.
To me, DARK LOVER reads differently than LOVER ETERNAL and LOVER AWAKENED and LOVER REVEALED. I suppose it does make sense as whichever Brother is on deck sets the beat of the book and as they are different, and their conflicts are different, the stories vary accordingly. But that was a surprise. I will say that LA is the darkest of the series so far- and originally, I didn't think anything else would come close. Instead, Vishous's book, LOVER UNBOUND, is also a dark one. Rehv's and Qhuinn's will be likewise
I think that straight contemporary romance is very hard to write in a fresh manner (there are undoubtedly some who do it but I think it's hard!)At this time, in modern society, there are very few external restrictions to romance. I mean, consider the strictures of historicals for example where social rules and values prevented free sexual expression. A lot of these barriers to love no longer exist: pre-martial sex is not the no-go it once was, for example, so if you have it, you're reputation isn't completely ruined and you don't end up banished to the wrong side of the tracks.
What I love about paranormals, and why I think they are so popular, is that you can bring contemporary speech and settings into an environment where external conflict can still be imposed. For example, in the Brotherhood world, males need to drink from females of their own species. So if a male, such as Rhage, falls in love with a human, his physical need for the blood of another is a conflict that is going to have be resolved somehow. And strong conflict breeds strong emotion which can translate into a great read.
I think the popularity resides as well in the limitless world-building you can do. I mean, as long as the rules of the world are internally consistent and you write convincingly, there is almost nothing you can't do or explore. So that's why you see some really fresh, interesting takes on old myths as well as some wild, fantastic imaginary places.
I also think paranormals have gained momentum as all current fades do, creating their own kind of centrifugal force in the market place. The issue is always going to be quality, however. No matter how great a trend is, readers are not going to fooled by lackluster plotting or characters. So to answer your question: I think we can never have enough really good vampire or paranormal books. After all, it's what we're all looking for: a great read!
LOL! I haven't yet! It doesn't mean that some days I don't want to bury my head in the backyard (while it's still attached.) But I really am captivated by these books. There are other things I want to write, however. I have another series that I've planned out, but I'm sitting on it right now- with the Brotherhood books coming out every six months, I need to be really focused on them. I don't want to crack open another series unless I feel sure I can do both well.
Who is next? In fact can you give us a run down of theorder of the series?
Okay, so after LOVER AWAKENED, it's Butch's turn. The cop's book, LOVER REVEALED, comes out in March '07 and it's all finished. Vishous is up thereafter. I've just started V's book, LOVER UNBOUND- I'm about 90 pages in so far. Then it's Phury's book.At first I thought the series was going to run a total of ten books. But as I've written it, more and more people have come forward. Now? It's open ended. I mean... I HAVE to write Qhuinn's book. Just have to.
If you've got any questions you want to ask, I'd be happy to try and answer them!
