Way back at the beginning of 2008, Sybil had a great idea. Each month we would focus on a different Harlequin/Silhouette imprint, featuring authors, titles and reviews for that particular line. As a category fan, I was definitely on board. Our inaugural spotlight was to be Harlequin Blaze, back in February. But due to the various issues we had with the server move and template change, it never quite got off the ground. So for the hottest month of the year, we are going to focus on Harlequin’s hottest category line, Blaze. Back in February, I wrote a little something about my experience with reading Blazes, and it went a little something like this…

I’ve enjoyed reading Harlequins and Silhouettes for years now. My mom was an avid reader of Harlequin Temptations and Silhouette Desires and Special Editions. Once or twice a month, we’d hit the used bookstore, where she’d drop off an armload, and pick up another armload.

Eventually, I started reading them too, sneaking them off to my bedroom, and shoving them under the covers if anyone walked in. I was sure I’d get into trouble because of The Sex. We were not an open family when it came to talking about teh sex. And there was sex, and great romances and interesting characters. Some of the categories I read then are more vivid to me now than the Johanna Lindseys and Jude Devereauxs (?) I was also reading.

So when I was experiencing paranormal burn-out, I turned to good old Harlequin, hoping for some straight-up romance focused on two humans and their struggle to fall in love. While perusing the Harlequin site, I found myself intrigued by the Blaze line. I like some sex in my books, and they were focused on twenty somethings, which I was.

My experience with Blazes have been up and down. Sometimes they are saddled with the most absurd premises (the sex-themed hotel, love potions, having sex for the purpose of making someone stupid). They also get some lame taglines. I once read a book despite the fact that it was part of a miniseries called “The Sexth Sense” (get it?). It turned out to be pretty good. The need to have a certain amount of sex can lead to an unconvincing love story, where the only connection seems to be the sex.

On the other hand, they seem more “contemporary” to me. The heroine and hero are people you can relate to, unlike the odd fantasy world of some of the other lines wherein a heroine may be twenty-six, but she dresses and behaves like my mother. They have apartments, work hard for the money, have real jobs. They don’t waft around being boorish billionaires or timid misses (and Mistresses). Not that those kind of stories don’t have their charms, but often I prefer a story where the characters seem real, even if the situation isn’t.

When they are good, Blazes are lively, hot reads with entertaining heroes and heroines, and an appealing romance. They’ve got some great authors like Sarah Mayberry, Julie Leto, Jo Leigh and Kelley St. John. Just the thing when you’re looking for a relaxing way to spend a couple of hours.

What about you? Have a favorite Blaze title or author? What do you like most about this category line?

by Pam Crooks

First off, I have to thank Sybil and her gang for taking Harlequin Historicals under their romance-lovin’ wings and giving us such a wonderful opportunity to talk about our books. We love you, Syb!

Okay – here we go. From the time man learned to climb on a horse, his competitive nature has instilled in him a love for racing. Wagering inevitably followed. Be it the thrill of the game, or the lure of riches in whatever form, and for whatever reason, cowboys all over the world have loved to race.

My hero in Kidnapped By the Cowboy, TJ Grier, is no different. For him, to right a wrong that ruined his reputation, the need for racing consumes him. He’s placed all his hopes and dreams in one horse. He has a point to prove, a new life to make. But when that horse is heartlessly taken from him, he kidnaps Callie Mae Lockett to find him and the truth that has haunted them both.

While I was writing this book, I learned just how much racing and competition was a part of the western culture and a cowboy’s life. Indeed, it has spanned centuries, as early as the Moorish occupation of Spain, and spreading its enthusiasm to Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, Mexico, and so on, and finally to America. Charros (upper-class horsemen) and vaqueros (working cowboys), gaucho or llanero—it didn’t matter. Cowboys lived and breathed racing, in one form or another.

We all know about bull riding and barrel racing, but I was amazed at some of the um, more unusual racing games they played. Here’s a few:

• The rooster shoot. Despite its name, this one had nothing to do with a rooster. The men lashed their right wrists together with rawhide thongs while mounted in the saddle. At a signal, the horses began to race side by side until one rider pulled the other off his horse. The winner was the man who was the strongest and most able to keep his seat. Yeesh!

• Roping grizzly bears. Oh, my. This one was especially popular in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. Several cowboys would lasso the bear around his feet and neck, choking off his air to subdue him. They’d then trail him back to town, taunting him along the way, baiting him to charge. Once in town, they’d find a wild bull and pit them against each other. Spectators cheered to see the bear kill the bulls until he eventually succumbed himself from being gored so many times.

• Chicken pulling. Now I wrote about this game in my book, The Mercenary’s Kiss. Using a rooster, duck or chicken, cowboys would either tie the bird to a tree or–more commonly–bury the chicken in the ground up to its neck. Horsemen would race up to the bird, and whoever plucked it out of the ground was chased by the other riders. The first rider to cross the finish line with the bird in hand was the winner–and got to keep the chicken as his prize. (In Mexico, the vaqueros took the winnings a step further–by grandly presenting the fowl to the woman he most wanted to impress.)

Like I said, these are only a few of the games and contests cowboys enjoyed–some far more violent than others. And quite unusual, eh?

How about you? Are you a racing fan? What do you love to race, either watching or participating? Is there something else that you do that really gets the adrenaline going?

Join in the discussion and be eligible to win an autographed copy of Kidnapped By the Cowboy and a hunky cowboy fan!

As you know, I have really enjoyed Karen Templeton’s last few novels and her latest trilogy is amazing. I want to put the entire Guys & Daughters series (Dear Santa, Yours, Mine…or Ours? and Baby, I’m Yours) into every readers hand and say, “Forget what you ‘know’ or think you know about Harlequin, romance novels, Silhouette Special Edition. If you have never tried the line, start here.”

It’s that good.

Here’s the blurb…

All Kevin Vaccaro had wanted to do, when he went looking for his ex-girlfriend on the other side of the country, was to apologize for not fighting harder to help her overcome the same drug and alcohol dependency issues that had held him in bondage for years. Except his ex is dead…leaving behind a baby girl. Jobless, homeless, clean for barely a year, how the hell is Kevin supposed to prove to Pippa’s grandfather – and her widowed aunt, the baby’s primary caregiver – that he deserves custody of his own child?

Julianne McCabe knows letting Kevin stay in her father’s house for a month – Victor Booth’s condition for even considering eventually giving Kevin custody – means very possibly having to give up the child she loves as her own. If Kevin takes Pippa away, Julianne’s heart will break. But even worse, watching Kevin’s fight to earn her father’s – and Julianne’s – trust threatens to dissolve the safe cocoon she’s woven around herself since her husband’s death.

And that will never do…

He remembered the almost wistful envy in her voice. Weird, he’d thought at the time, through the haze of assorted controlled substances. Still weird, he thought, now stone cold sober.

Whether Victor Booth was there now, he had no idea. The man wasn’t exactly listed in the phone book. In fact, despite his regular appearances on one of the morning talk shows a few years back, even though you could hardly go into Costco and not see his face plastered on a stack of hardbacks, it was next to impossible to find out anything about “Dr. Vic.” Apparently the paparazzi had bigger, blonder, boozier fish to fry.

A breeze nudged aside the heat clinging to Kevin’s skin, rustled the cottonwood leaves, shimmering coins in the clear mid-morning light. He sucked in a breath. Then another. Two thousand miles was a long way to come to possibly run into a dead end. But he had to find Robyn, to apologize for running, even if at the time he’d felt he had no choice. Then maybe he could finally get on with something resembling a real life. How he was supposed to go about that…not a clue. But for sure his retarded Peter Pan days were over.

A grinning Golden Retriever edged into his peripheral vision, a toned matron in a sleeveless shirt and cargo shorts marching smartly behind. The woman glanced at the parked car, curiosity buzzing from behind bumble-bee sunglasses. A second later, she flipped open her cell phone, tossing another furtive glance over her shoulder as she soldiered on. On a weary sigh, Kevin unfolded himself from the car, giving the woman – clearly keeping an eye on him – a little wave and smile.

She jumped, nearly tripping over the dog as she scurried away.

Feeling moderately cheered, Kevin hauled in another steadying breath and started across the street, thinking it was a shame Hertz didn’t provide barf bags as part of the rental fee.

***

“What on earth are you watching so hard, Julie-bird?”

Ignoring her father’s much-loathed pet name for her, Julianne McCabe shifted slightly at the living room window. All the better to see the tall, lanky male – the last vestiges of boyhood clinging to his loose-limbed gait – heading toward the house.

“See for yourself,” she said, removing her glasses to clean the lenses on the
hem of her sleeveless blouse. Pointlessly, as it happened, since her father, in his usual summer uniform of loose linen shirt and Dockers, had already hobbled across the room to peer over her shoulder. Smelling of aftershave and peppermints, like all good daddies should, Victor Booth was supposed to be in his office, working or resting the pulled muscle in his back or something. Not here, hovering. Being “there” for her.

Julianne pushed her glasses back on, wincing slightly when the corners of the steel frames caught in her too-long bangs. When had she last worn her contacts? Or makeup? Had the energy, or inclination, to fix herself up?

“Who the hell is that?” her father muttered a moment before the young man vanished behind the massive, obscenely blossomed Spanish broom blocking their view of the front entry. A second later, the doorbell rang.

And wasn’t it a sad commentary on what she’d let her life become, that a stranger at the door should produce something almost like a thrill? Over the ripple of self-disgust, she said, “Guess we’re about to find out.”

“Don’t bother. It’s probably just somebody trying to either sell us something or save our souls.”

Too late on that last thing, Julianne thought as she shook her head, aiming an indulgently patient look in her father’s direction. The sort of look adoring and/or grateful daughters were supposed to give doting fathers. Especially fathers with the confidence-inspiring visage that sold books and filled auditoriums – the thick, tweedy hair and crinkly blue eyes, the precisely clipped hedgerow of also-tweedy whiskers edging a Dudley-Do-Right jaw.

“Since he’s empty-handed, I think we’re safe,” she said, heading toward the door, amazed to find herself feeling almost awake. “And besides, he’s been sitting in his car watching the house for ten minutes.”

A cane shot out in front of her. “Stay here.”

Julianne crept into the tiled entryway behind her father, who was shuffling toward the door as fast as his pulled back muscle would let him. Although what she hoped to see, she had no idea, since his linebacker frame easily blocked the doorway. Gus, their older-than-dirt chocolate Lab, dozed on the warm, unevenly textured clay tiles in a blurred pool of sunlight from the clerestory over the doorway. Wouldn’t mind spending my days like that, she thought, her arms folded over her stomach, only to realize she pretty much did. Except for—

“Sorry to intrude, Mr. Booth,” said a strong New England accent. “My name’s Kevin Vaccaro. I’m, uh, a friend of Robyn’s? She here, by any chance?”

Julianne sucked in a breath over her father’s, “No, she’s not.” Grief, anger, regret riddled his words, the same triad of emotions that had battered Julianne’s soul, in never-ending waves, for far too long. Dad shifted to lean heavily on the three-pronged cane he’d already sworn to burn. “Robyn died three months ago, Mr. Vaccaro.”

Blood drained from a face downright Michelangelesque. No surprise there, given her sister’s penchant for the cute but clueless, each hook-up less connected with reality than his predecessor, every one summarily dumped before they could dump her.

Except this one, who’d beaten her to the punch.

“I’m…so sorry,” Kevin said, almost stumbling backwards, shock turning to horror in guileless brown eyes. “I didn’t know…I should go—”

“No,” Julianne said, elbowing past her father, in a split second making a decision that would in all likelihood rock her universe. “No, come in—”

“Julie!”

“For heaven’s sake, Dad, he’s in shock! We can’t just send him away!”

Confusion cramped Kevin’s face as Julianne’s presence seemed to finally register. Dimly, it occurred to her how she must look, the epitome of the haggard young widow who doesn’t give a damn anymore. Not that she hadn’t always been the older, paler, bonier version of her sister – her eyes less blue, her hair more faded, a thinner mouth, a sharper nose—

“You know who I am,” Kevin said.

“You bet your ass I know who you are,” her father said. Not budging. Not forgiving. “And you are not welcome in my house.”

“Dad. It wasn’t his fault.”

That much Julianne knew, even if her father still couldn’t accept the truth: That Kevin’s leaving Robyn, while not doing her any favors, had played little part in her inability to shake a substance abuse problem that had been in place long before his involvement with her. Julianne also knew she’d win this battle. Although whether because Dad wasn’t as adamant about his plan as he’d have her believe, or because he wouldn’t deny her anything reasonably within his power to give her, she couldn’t say. Nor did she care. At the moment, she’d play whatever hand had been dealt her and deal with the consequences later.

“Can I get you something?” Julianne asked as she led Kevin past the quivering, gray-muzzled dog, the family photos lined up against a taupe wall (the Gallery of Illusions, Robyn had called it), into the brightly lit living room cluttered with corpulent leather furniture, local artwork, southwestern native crafts. “Coffee? Water?”

“A beer?” her father said behind them, deliberately provoking.

Irritation flashed in toffee-colored eyes. Kevin was younger than she, she knew. Not by much, a few years. Enough to make a difference, though, to someone who felt old as Methuselah. His shirt was a little too loose, his pants rode a trifle too low, the hallmark of a guy who hadn’t yet figured out that size mattered. Still, she thought – hoped? – she saw the signs of someone playing a hard, fast game of catch-up.

“I’m a recovering addict, Mr. Booth,” Kevin said softly, reaching down to scratch a panting, grinning Gus between his ears before meeting her father’s lock-jawed expression. “I’ve been clean for more than a year.” He turned to Julianne, wearing the slightly blank look of someone unsure of his next line. At the moment, the dog was probably registering more on his radar than she was. “And thanks,” he said, “but I’m good.”

Then he dropped onto the sofa’s edge, his hands clasped between his knees as he stared at the floor, clearly trying to absorb the news. Finally, he lifted his eyes to Julianne’s father. “What happened?”

Victor’s gaze bounced off Julianne’s, scrupulously avoiding the baby monitor on the coffee table not two feet from where Kevin was sitting. Not that it was likely he’d make the connection, but still. “I don’t have to—”

“I came here for answers,” Kevin said, his voice surprisingly strong. Unintimidated. “No, actually I came to apologize to Robyn, but now that I’m here…” His hands clenched. “Now that I know…”

“This is private family business. We’re not obligated to tell you—”

“My sister was killed in a swimming accident,” Julianne said quietly. “While we were on vacation in Mexico.”

Kevin swore, softly and bluntly, his reaction genuine enough for Julianne to feel a spurt of sympathy. Robyn hadn’t loved him, she knew that much. Oh, she’d been pissed when he’d left, but that had been more the wounded pride of a emotionally scarred, and very young, woman outraged at being the dumpee. What Kevin’s feelings had been for her sister, she had no way of knowing, of course. Not that she blamed him for leaving. Few people would have nominated her sister for a congeniality award.

Her father’s eyes cut to hers, pleading. Unflinching, she returned his gaze, shaking her head.

Even though she knew what her act of defiance would cost her.

“Was she using?” Kevin asked, shattering Julianne’s thoughts.

“Yes,” she said over her father’s, “What concern is that of yours?”

“Of course it’s his concern!” Julianne said, startled at her own vehemence. It had been a long time since she’d felt vehement. Since she’d felt much of anything. “It’s always been his concern! He has a right to know! He’s—”

“Julie!”

The cane jabbed into the carpet as Dad advanced on her, his anguish colliding with hers. Her only excuse, perhaps, for not having fought him harder before this about ending the lie, doing the right thing. But, oh, dear God – how incredibly out of whack their lives had been these past few months, focusing on loss instead of gain, on separation instead of connection. A crippling confederacy of negatives Julianne was now determined to overthrow—

“Don’t do this, Julie-bird. Don’t tell him.”

—whether her father was on the same page or not.

“Don’t tell me what, for God’s sake?” Kevin was on his feet, his bewilderment clawing at her sense of decency. “Would someone please tell me what the hell is going on—?”

Kevin’s gaze jerked to the monitor, crackling with the distinct sounds of a baby waking up from her nap.

“Robyn was pregnant when you left,” Julianne said quietly, her heart splitting in two as she watched her words slowly register in toffee colored eyes.

(c) 2007, 2008 – Printed with permission of Harlequin Enterprises, Ltd. All rights reserved.

le sigh…. this book is good…

Karen Sandler has written eight Silhouette Special Editions since 2002. Her March release, His Miracle Baby was read, enjoyed and reviewed recently here at TGTBTU. In May, Her Miracle Man hits the shelves, and I’ll be reading it. In this post, Karen takes on a topic near and dear to romance readers (on the page anyway): Sex.

Sex and the Special Edition
by Karen Sandler

So, what do you want in your romance novel? A steamy, sexy page-turner where your hero and heroine spend more time in bed than out? A sensual romp so hot that during every scene you’re fanning yourself with the book?

Or would you rather read about the hero and heroine’s emotional journey, where their physical union becomes a soul-deep connection between them? A book where their growing love leads in a natural way to lovemaking,a joyful climax that transcends the physical?

If what you’re looking for is the latter–plenty of emotion, a story that touches your heart, that reaches inside you, then get thee to a Special Edition. If you want to fall in love with the hero, wish the heroine was your own best friend, then SSEs are the books for you. Because although SSEs do contain fully described love scenes, the lovemaking between hero and heroine retains an emotional tone throughout. Sex scenes in an SSE go beyond mere titillation, reaching instead for the heart.

While I’m writing a book, if the scene I’m working on seems flat, the prescription to correct the problem is always the same–add more emotion. Find the emotional spark that’s missing between the hero and heroine, intensify it, layer it with complexity. I firmly believe what truly keeps a romance reader flipping those pages is the emotional content, not the steamy sexy parts. Or rather those steamy, sexy parts have a hundred times the impact when the emotional component is there, when the reader cares so fervently about the hero and heroine they can’t put the book down until the HEA.

And that is exactly what SSEs provide. Whether done with a light touch of humor or with dark and heartrending angst, emotion is the glue that holds the story together. You may need to have a box of tissues ready as you read, but Special Editions will always provide a satisfying experience.

Over to you, readers and commenters. Thoughts, opinions?

Read any good love scenes in a SSE lately? Who would you go to for heat? For sweet?

Devon’s review of Finding Family by Gina Wilkins
Contemporary Romance released by Silhouette Special Edition 1 Apr 08

You know how the story goes: a nice guy meets a nice girl, they hit it off. The attraction grows, the sex is good, and after navigating some bumps in the road, they’re well on the way to happily ever after. It’s all very well and good in real life, but on the page it can be…pretty durn boring.

Such was the case with Gina Wilkins’ Finding Family. I liked the hero and the heroine, and found their individual issues pretty interesting. But their love story fell flat for me. I’m not sure why. Perhaps it was because their relationship involved so much decorating. Dr. Mark Thomas and Rachel Madison meet when he hires her to decorate his new house. They get to know each other while shopping, and we are treated to endless descriptions of the results. I love decorating magazines and HGTV, but I loathe reading about how the hero’s knick knacks were arranged on his bedside table. Rachel’s a great decorator, I’m sure, but where’s the drama in writing desks?

Mark has lived a rather solitary life, which is completely upended soon after he meets Rachel. He finds out that he has been living a lie. It’s a shocking situation, and Mark’s mixed emotions are depicted thoughfully. He’s disturbed at the revelations regarding his (late) mother, unsure about how he should feel about her now, and apprehensive about meeting his new family. He is angry, confused and guarded. It’s probably not the best time to add a new romance to the mix, but there you go.

Rachel is a fixer, the dependable one that everyone goes to for help. And her self-absorbed, hapless family members seem to need a lot of help. A more whiny, annoying bunch you couldn’t imagine. Yet, Rachel always ends up dropping everything to rush to these fools’ aid. She’s a likeable character, but Mark astutely notes that she enjoys that sense of importance that comes from being the rescuer. That’s a very human failing and it made her more interesting. She is a caring person, but Mark can’t help but wonder if he’s another project for her.

With two interesting characters struggling with personal dramas, it was strange that their romance wasn’t more compelling. It lacked sparks. Just two nice folks weathering a rocky start. I was far more interested in seeing how Mark dealt with his newfound relatives, and whether or not Rachel would tell her family and ex-husband to grow up. Not a painful read, but not a particularly good one either.

Grade: C

Blurb:

     Her family drove her nuts. As the only sane one in a group of crazy relatives and friends, Rachel Madison was calm, comforting…and desperatley needed someone to care for her. Her interior-design work was her refuge, and her latest client, Dr. Mark Thomas, a sexy solitary man, tempted her to go beyond a purely business relationship.

     Then a knock on Mark’s door introduced him to a brother—and a family—he’d known nothing about. Suddenly his predictable world was askew—and only Rachel could ease his confusion. But dare she risk involvement with a man who didn’t know his past…and who wondered about his future?

     Read an excerpt here.

Karen Templeton is the author of seven Silhouette Special Editions, including April 2008 release Baby, I’m Yours. She has also written for Red Dress Ink and Silhouette Intimate Moments. Among her fans, she can count Sybil and Book Binger Holly. You can see Holly’s Guest reviews here and here. Read on to find out what makes writing for SSE so satisfying.

Real People. Real Life. Real Love.
(or why I write for Silhouette Special Edition)

by Karen Templeton

As a romance author trying to stay in the game in the early twenty-first century, I’m definitely an odd duck. Why? Because I like writing stories about real people finding love in a real world – you know, the one where most of us live?

I’m thinking anyone who hasn’t been hiding out in a cave – alone, with no text messaging capabilities – knows how much drama there is in the average human experience. That scoring happily-ever-after is challenging enough without adding fangs and fur and murder-most-foul to the mix. But for those of us who love to write – and read – these stories (which my grown niece once described as “You know, stories about normal people, where stuff gets messed up, then fixed!”) finding a fang-and-murder-free contemporary romance these days can be problematic. Especially since single title straight contemporary romances aren’t exactly thick on the ground.

However…mosey on over to the category romance racks, and…ta-da! Real people! Real life! Real romance! Not in every line, granted, but in Superromance, Harlequin American and and Romance and Silhouette Special Edition…yep. There they be. Sure, the books may be short reads, but short doesn’t necessarily mean shallow, or that characterization and emotion have been given short shrift – or even that story itself has been sacrificed. Instead, one of the great things about writing for SSE is that I can really focus on the characters’ growth throughout the story, and consequently the developing romance.

Good things in small packages, yaddayadda.

What especially fires my jets about being an SSE author is that there’s virtually no limit on the kinds of characters I can write about – especially the heroes. Betas, blue-collars, guys-next-door…SSE says, “Bring ‘em on.” Which I love, because, you know, what makes a man heroic has nothing to do with his social status or Dun and Bradstreet rating and everything to do with the kind of man he is. The Greek root for “hero” means “sacrifice,” something I keep in mind as I’m developing my guys: It’s not what they have, it’s what they’re willing to give up, that defines their manhood.

That’s not to say I haven’t written my share of rich dudes – Grant Braeburn in Dear Santa, for instance, is a hedge fund manager who describes himself as “insanely wealthy.” Blake Carter (Marriage, Interrupted) and Troy Lindquist (Pride and Pregnancy) are partners in a frozen desserts empire. IOW, they ain’t hurtin’. But my fave characters are those average joes who’re just trying to get by, like their counterparts in real life. Some more than others – Kevin Vaccaro (Baby, I’m Yours) is a recovering substance abuser who, at the beginning of the story, has virtually nothing he can call his own – no job, no home, no bank account – except his recently discovered baby daughter. Hero material?

A man who has to get his rear in gear, like yesterday, to prove – to himself, mostly – that’s he’s worthy of fatherhood?

You betcha.

At the same time, even my well-off heroes are, well, pretty normal. (Most of them, anyway. The aforementioned Grant does have his issues.) Many didn’t start out life rich: they’ve worked their butts off to earn their wealth, and having money hasn’t changed their core personalities or values. They’ll just…men. Okay, maybe not just men, they are romance heroes after all, they’re sexy as hell. Still. These are guys I could actually have a conversation with and not feel weird and self-conscious around. Once I got past that whole sexy-as-hell thing, at least.

But my point is…at heart, SSE is a great place to find stories about real people dealing with real-life situations, stories about family and friends and kids and, yes, babies, because that’s what life is for a lot of readers. That’s not to say those who prefer more escapist category reads won’t find plenty of sheiks and princes and such – another great thing about SSE is the variety within the line, in character types, tones and sensuality level – but when you’ve got a yen to explore romance from a more down-to-earth angle…

Step right this way…

Are you a Reader of the Silhouette Special Edition line? Are you one of their authors?

If so you really should email me… just saying… no really and like yesterday.

And on that note anyone ever read Judy Duarte? No there is still no date set for Jessica Bird’s next book. But she swears she will let us know AS soon AS THE DATES ARE SET.

March 2008′s SPOTLIGHT was Silhouette Nocturne at TGTBTU. Vampires, shapeshifters and demon abounded, as we took a close look at Harlequin’s paranormal line.

As the month draws to a close, I thought I’d gather all the posts together. On to the round up…

The Intro: Why Devon likes Silhouette Nocturnes


The Guests:

• Bonnie Vanak: The Healing Power of Werewolves
• Patrice Michelle: The Cool Idea…Then What?
• Merline Lovelace: How to Play Mind Games
• JennyB: Harlequin’s Paranormal Romance Blog

The Reviews:

	Guardian’s Keep by Lori Devoti–reviewed by Sandy M
	Beast of Desire by Lisa Renee Jones–reviewed by Sandy M
	From the Dark by Michele Hauf–reviewed by Sandy M
	The Empath by Bonnie Vanak–reviewed by Sandy M
	Mind Games by Merline Lovelace–reviewed by Alicia Thomas
	Night Mischief by Nina Bruhns–reviewed by Devon
	Dangerous Temptation by Kathleen Korbel–reviewed by Sandy M
	Last Wolf Standing by Rhyannon Byrd–reviewed by Devon

Stay tuned to see what we have planned for next month!

Merline Lovelace, a twenty three year veteran of the U.S. Air Force (and a Colonel), has published more than 65 novels. She has written contemporaries, romantic suspense and historicals, often with a military backdrop.

Merline’s first Silhouette Nocturne, Mind Games, will be released on April 1. One of the duckies has already read it and loved it. After the break, Merline tells us what inspired her book.

How to Play Mind Games
by Merline Lovelace

I’ve been fascinated by the idea of telekinesis/psychokinesis ever since Sissy Spacek scared the you-know-what out of me in the movie Carrie! Then some years ago I picked up a book called Men Who Stare at Goats. It details a top secret U.S. Army project back during the Cold War era to use the power of thought to remotely influence behavior — and thus control the enemy by penetrating his mind. [Ed. Note: Check out Jon Ronson's website and his Wikipedia entry for more fascinating info. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction!]

So when I was asked to write for the Nocturne line, I immediately decided to focus on the concept of mind over matter. In Mind Games, the heroine believes the hero used remote influencing to make her fall for him when she was his graduate lab assistant. Now she’s an AF undercover agent and needs his help to locate a missing scientist working a top secret project for the military. Her main problem is keeping him out of her head — and herself out of his bed!

While I was researching Mind Games, I was intrigued by the amount of scientific study being conducted today into psychokinesis and remote influencing. It’s still a matter of great interest to the military. Understanding thought processes and how a troop might react in certain situations are essential factors in weapon design and man/machine interface. And, of course, Psychological Operations — winning the hearts and minds of the enemy — is still critical to any operation.

The fun part of writing for me is to blend fact and fantasy — using actual historical fact or current events to create impossible situations for my hero and heroine and complicate the hell out of their lives. That’s what I did in Mind Games. The story combines danger, an exotic locale, the fascinating on-going scientific research into psychokinesis and a passionate romance between two strong-willed people! The characters leaped off the pages for me. Hope they do the same for the readers!

I recently discovered that Harlequin has an entire blog devoted to paranormal romance. Seems like a good idea, considering that between Silhouette Nocturne, HQN, Mira and Luna, Harlequin publishes a wide variety of paranormal romance. I contacted JennyB, Harlequin’s Digital Content Manager, to find out more about the blog.

We launched Harlequin’s Paranormal Romance Blog because we saw a steady increase in the number of paranormal romance books our authors were writing and our readers were reading, but didn’t see very many online forums dedicated to this genre where authors could connect with readers to let them know about their books. There are a lot of blogs and websites dedicated to romance books, and a lot of blogs and websites dedicated to paranormal books – and we’re fans of all of them, most are listed in our blogroll, but very very few sites or blogs dedicated exclusively to paranormal romance (and if you can recommend any, we’re always looking to expand our blogroll!).

The kind of content we have right now really ranges, from our own musings on the paranormal genre (eg. Is there such a thing as a happy vampire?), to authors’ posts about their books and their ongoing trilogies or connected stories (e.g. Rhyannon Byrd’s Bloodrunners), to writing guidelines and updates on new paranormal lines and imprints Harlequin and Silhouette are launching, like the upcoming Nocturne Bites.

At bottom though, it all comes down to loving the genre, and wanting to share that passion and excitement for paranormal with like-minded readers and fans!

Thanks and happy reading!

JennyB

 Most recently, Lisa Renee Jones, whose March 2008 Nocturne, Beast of Desire, was reviewed by Sandy, was spotlighted on the blog. Another post of interest, is on the popularity of paranormal romance. Check it out!

Hey paranormal fans: what are your favorite sites for reviews, information, and views from authors?

We have a winner in the Patrice Michelle Guest Author Post Contest! One lucky commenter who responded to Patrice Michelle’s post about world building has won a signed copy of SCIONS: Insurrection. And the winner is…

Azteclady!

Congratulations to Azteclady! Please email patrice @ patricemichelle dot net (no spaces) with your address to receive your copy. SCIONS: Insurrection will be published 1 May 2008 by Silhouette Nocturne. Get your sneak preview here and stay tuned for more Silhouette Nocturne News!

**CONTEST ENDED** The first installment in Patrice Michelle’s SCIONS series for Silhouette Nocturne, SCIONS: Resurrection, was released in January and reviewed by Devon and Alicia Thomas. Book two, SCIONS: Insurrection, comes out in May, and you can get a sneak preview here. Read on to find out just how an author comes up with new twists on vampire and werewolf mythology.

Read on to the bottom of the post for a contest. Take it away, Patrice!

SCIONS series…the cool idea, then what?
by Patrice Michelle

Many thanks to Devon and Sybil for inviting me to guest blog on The Good, The Bad and The Unread.

If you’ve read the first book in my SCIONS series with Silhouette Nocturne, then you’ve probably read the reader letter in the front where I talked about the fact a vivid dream inspired the idea behind Scions:Resurrection.

When I woke up from that surreal dream and started writing, I was faced with an interesting dilemma…how was I going to make THIS new vampires series different from my Kendrian vampire series. I figured if I was given this super-cool idea via a dream, I HAD to do something with it. The story would be written, but how was I going to set it apart?

Then I started thinking about all the vampire movies I’d seen and the few vampire books I’d read and each of them pretty much started with the premise that vampires “existed” and the story rolled on from there. What I decided to do with my SCIONS series was to back up a few steps and explain, not only where vampires came from, but also address some other aspects of traditional vampire and yes, werewolf lore, too. I liked the idea of creating my own reasons why vampires couldn’t tolerate the sun and why silver was poisonous to werewolves, while at the same time developing these paranormal beings in a contemporary setting and tying them to the human world.

My world building was moving along in my mind, but what made it all fall into place was the idea for a prophesy—that each of the beings in my SCIONS world were intricately locked together, not just because of the government’s secret SCIONS project (that was the catalyst for their existence) but because of decisions they each made in their past.

Working with paranormal beings and giving them very human issues and responses appealed to me on many levels. With SCIONS, I got to build several different societies, their politics and hierarchical organizations, all while linking them all together. Yet, as much as I would like to claim that I had every single plot twist and turn in the SCIONS world planned out in excruciating detail, my characters—with their own motivations, their likes and prejudices, their codes of honor and aptitude for compassion—followed their own romantic paths to happiness, ultimately dictating the outcome. I hope you enjoy each of the SCIONS stories.

What about you? When you read a paranormal book, do you like to know the paranormal hero or heroine’s origin or reason for their existence?

CONTEST! (Contest is over)

Comment here and you could win a signed copy of Insurrection. The winner will be picked from comments made between now and 9am U.S. Central on Saturday, 22 March, according to the blog timestamp. Only one entry per IP address, but you can comment as often as you wish (we’ll use just one of your comments for the contest). Good Luck!

Bonnie Vanak, author and pet-lover, shares a story with us about how werewolves helped heal a broken heart.  Read on and have a tissue handy for this next Silhouette Nocturne Spotlight post…

The Healing Power of Werewolves
by Bonnie Vanak

My first Nocturne, The Empath, is a werewolf romance dedicated to my dog. Tia wasn’t just a pet, but a loyal friend. She died from liver cancer in December 2006.

When my husband and I got the diagnosis, our hearts broke. I was devastated. I lost my mom and other family members to cancer, as well as friends and co-workers. And now our dog was dying from cancer. Our wonderful, lively pet who barked with joy when we came home, used to howl when my husband howled with her, jumped in my lap when I wrote and rested her head on the laptop (ever try to write with a 24-pound Shih Tzu hogging the keyboard?) had maybe four months to live.

Typical of Tia, as I sat crying in the living room, she pushed her nose into my face and tried to cheer me up. I grieved, and began to write.

The story became The Empath. It started with a woman who tries to find a cure for the mysterious disease killing her beloved dog. Gradually the story shifted. The woman developed into Maggie, a veterinarian. She was a Draicon, a werewolf, and the pack’s long lost empath, unaware of her ability to heal. The hero took shape. Nicolas became a powerful warrior werewolf tormented by a dark secret, who longed for peace, but forsake it to kill the enemy destroying his pack. The hero’s pack leader, Damian, was a strong-willed werewolf dying from the same disease killing Maggie’s dog. Damian would do anything to protect his pack, even give his own life. The enemy became the Morphs. They were former Draicon who embraced evil to gain power and shapeshifted into any animal form. They turned into army ants, a fire-breathing dragon and bees to attack Maggie and Nicolas.

Maggie finally discovers her ability to heal through touch, and realizes the person in greatest need of emotional healing is Nicolas, her mate. Then I created the mating lock, in which they come together sexually in a pure moment of communion, and exchange thoughts, emotions and powers, the two halves made whole.

I wrote sitting on the back patio, Tia resting her head between her paws while lying at the back door or at my feet. I sent the proposal to my agent, who loved it and started shopping it around. The Empath became my balm those months while I visited the vet for new medication to keep Tia comfortable, experimented with food and coaxed her to eat when her appetite waned, and waited, watched and prayed. Not for a miracle, but for strength when the time would finally come for us to make the hardest decision of all.

That decision came December 2006. Tia was in extreme pain. My husband drove the car as I cradled my whimpering friend in my arms. When our vet went to give her the shot, Tia reached up and licked my husband’s face.

And then she was gone. It was so quiet, except for the sounds of all of us crying.

A few days later, my agent called and told me we had an offer from Silhouette to publish The Empath for their new Nocturne line. I finished the book and then went to New Orleans to research Damian’s story for Enemy Lover, my next Nocturne due out this November. The scars of loss and grief from Hurricane Katrina still mark the city, and blended with Damian’s dark past and the tragedy that haunted him.

Writing for Silhouette’s Nocturne line is an author’s dream. I have a terrific editor and I get to combine the darkest parts of my imagination with romance. I like writing strong Alpha heroes who have secrets that make them vulnerable to the heroine. Nocturne is a perfect fit. I can put characters through emotional turmoil and danger, have them explore magic powers new to them, and give them seemingly insurmontable obstacles to overcome.

And no matter how much anguish the hero and heroine suffer, everything turns out all right in the end.

In The Empath, Maggie’s tremendous powers cure her beloved dog, and heal Nicolas’s spirit, giving him the peace he’s sought for ages. It’s pure romance fiction, a world where the impossible becomes possible, and dreams and hopes come true with the help of love and magic.

For me, that’s the healing power of romance. When all around you is falling apart, and your heart is breaking, you can create a world in which everything turns out all right. And where a friend who was loyal to the end lives on forever in the pages of your book.

TGTBTU Spotlight:  Harlequin’s Silhouette Nocturne
By Devon

Werewolves and Vampires and Demons…Oh my!

Paranormal romance is everywhere these days, and it seems like you either love it or hate it. I lurve it. Paranormals got me back into reading romance back in late 2003.  Over the next year or so the number of titles featuring broody, leather-clad supernatural heroes (and the ladies who love them) seemed to grow exponentially. We were inundated with vampires, in particular, and suddenly it seemed as though every author was dipping their toes into the supernatural waters. It was only a matter of time before Harlequin entered the fray, and so they did with the launch of the Silhouette Nocturne line in September 2006.

Paranormal romance seems as though it would be a particular challenge for a romance writer. Not only do you have to create likeable characers and a believable romance within 75,000 words, but also a compelling world or mythology to support the whole thing. And I’ve got to admit, the first Nocturne I read was a DNF. My first big success with a Nocturne was Blood Secrets by Vivi Anna. I found myself checking out the new releases each month, and more often than not, trying them out.

The reason I like the Nocturne line is the same reason I like category romance in general: sometimes you just want something short and sweet. Plotlines can play out over three or four books, but that way they don’t get bogged down under the weight of the worldbuilding, the way I think some prominent paranormal series have. And there’s a nice range of the subgenre represented: plenty of vamps and furries, but also witches, demons, sorcerors and fairies. A little bit of everything. There are also a lot of powerful heroines, which I like. For example, the heroine of Michele Hauf‘s Familiar Stranger knew a lot more about the supernatural world than the hero.

They’ve got an interesting line up of authors. There are authors who have been writing for Harlequin for years. Linda Howard made her return to category romance with Raintree: Inferno, causing a stir. I didn’t read it, but I quite liked Raintree: Sanctuary by Beverly Barton. Other familiar authors include Caridad Piniero, Lindsay McKenna, Bonnie Vanak and, in April, Merline Lovelace.

In addition, recent debuts were made by authors previously published by Ellora’s Cave. I enjoyed Scions: Resurrection by Patrice Michelle and Last Wolf Standing (Bloodrunners, Book 1) by Rhyannon Byrd. (You can read Nocturne reviews here.)

The line will also be expanding to include short stories, according to our Insider, to be called Nocturne BITES. I also recently found The Harlequin Paranormal Romance Blog, which has topics of interest and many author links.

Ok, now you. Have you read any Nocturnes? What did you think? Any authors I should try out? Let’s hear the good, the bad, and the unread of it.

Alicia Thomas’s review of Scions: Resurrection (Scions Trilogy, Book 1) by Patrice Michelle
Paranormal romance published 1 Jan 08 by Silhouette Nocturne (Harlequin)

Book 2 – Scions: Insurrection (1 May 08)
Book 3 – Scions: Revelation (TBA)

Resurrection is the first book in the Scions Trilogy. Jachin Black is a vampire who has been banished from his people. He lives as an assassin to pay for the blood he must consume. He despises the humans who created then tried to destroy his kind.

Ariel Swanson is an author who has just published her first novel. She wrote it as therapy for facing her fear. You see, every other member of her family was killed by vampires. She doesn’t know her “fiction” novel is actually a prophecy that the vampires have hinged their hopes on for years.

This story is fast paced from the word go. Jachin and Ariel are on the run for almost three quarters of the book but I never got bored. The characters are compelling and the world is fascinating. The world was so intricate I expected to plow through flaws and contradictions but I didn’t find any. I may have been too busy enjoying the book, but nothing caught my attention.

Something did pull me out of the story a little. The whole vampire/werewolf thing was based on genetic engineering and breeding. Near the end suddenly there were elements that were pure fantasy. Nothing tacky or anything. It was just a surprise and it made me stop and re-read to make sure I was following correctly.

Also, the end was a bit drawn out. I knew the ends needed tying off but it seemed to drag a little. I also waited for him to have to redeem himself for being a hired gun but it never happened. I closed the book with a warm feeling, though, and that’s what I want from Silhouette. So, very enjoyable but with a few minor problems and one I can’t really forgive.

Grade: C+

Blurb:

     Everyone believed vampires were extinct. Everyone was wrong.  When Ariel Swanson wrote a novel about vampires, she hoped it would exorcise her fear of the creatures that had, not so long ago, terrorized the human population.

     Instead, it brought her to their attention.  And to the attention of Jachin Black a man banished from the Sanguinas, a vampire clan, and forced to hunt among the despised humans. For he clung to the prophecy given years ago, of a better way for his kind to live a prophecy Ariel unknowingly used as the basis of her novel.

     Ariel hates and fears vampires. Jachin despises humanity. But the prophesy and passion bind them in ways they could never have imagined. Ways that may heal the past, and change the future.

     Scions: A prophecy reveals hidden secrets and holds the key to fulfilling their ultimate desires.

     Read an excerpt and an excerpt.