C2’s review of Call Me Irresistible (Wynette Texas Series, Book 6) by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Contemporary romance released by William Morrow 18 Jan 11

For most SEP fans, Call Me Irresistible is a greatly anticipated book. Why? Because it’s Teddy Beaudine’s book! We have known Teddy his whole life – we saw him arrive on the scene and got to know him as a scary, smart nine-year-old in Fancy Pants. We met him again just as he was finishing college in Lady Be Good. But it seems like she made us wait forever for him to grow up completely and get his story.

Who is the lucky lady that gets paired with Ted? Meg Koranda – daughter of the Glitter Baby and a supporting character in What I Did for Love.   At first glance, maybe Meg doesn’t match up all that well with Ted. He’s so perfectly perfect – brilliant, hard working, handsome, friendly, rich – and she’s so not perfect. Meg dropped out of college before graduating, she doesn’t have a job, she was living off her parents money (whatever…they’re RICH) until they cut her off – more about this later. I won’t go into detail about how Meg and Ted met – let me just say that it began with her being a bridesmaid and ended with him being left at the altar.

Now, Ted is an easy-going fellow, but even he can’t quite let that go, and when Meg tries to run out on her hotel bill (no job, no money – remember), he sends the police after her. Did I mention that, along with being a super brainiac consultant, he is also mayor of Wynette (thanks to an overwhelming number of write-in votes)? So there Meg is, trapped in a town that blames her for their golden boy being abandoned at the altar, with no money and no easy way to get any.

And here is where my problem with the book begins – Meg’s parents have cut her off, after supporting her for 30 years. And they still have a good relationship. One of those things doesn’t fit for me – she hasn’t misbehaved (other than the no-regular-job thing), she isn’t a druggie, she hasn’t been lounging by the pool by day, hitting the clubs by night. She has been traveling, looking for herself – they must not have minded funding that, at first – but before she finds herself, they pull her funding. That bit of plot is jarring. And unrealistic…her parents are rich, but she didn’t have anything she could sell for money? No jewelry? Nothing? And the reason she’s driving a clunker is because her dad stopped making payments on her car? Don’t uber-wealthy people just buy cars? There wouldn’t be a car payment, for crying out loud. Maybe I’m nitpicking, but the whole “find a reason to keep Meg in Wynette” seems awkward and forced.

Anyway, since Wynette isn’t a metropolis, Meg and Ted are thrown together and eventually the hostilities subside, but Meg senses that Ted holds himself back from everyone. Everyone loves him and he likes them right back. Not the best basis for a real relationship. So when he asks her to stay, she says no and leaves. Another woman has left him…that doesn’t sit well with our Teddy. He and Meg both have some thinking to do.

Throw in a cast of nosy, small-town crazies, a vandal-stalker, lots of golf, and way too much focus on a couple of supporting characters (Spence and Sunny) and you’ve got a pretty good book. Wait…wut?? Yes, I said it’s pretty good. Not my favorite SEP – I much prefer Heaven Texas, Lady Be Good and Natural Born Charmer – but still an enjoyable read. Yes, too much time is spent punishing Meg just because her life lacks focus. Yes, too much time is spent on whether or not the resort would be built. But it is nice to see the close-knit folks of Wynette rally around and support those they consider their own, too.

I have a few other quibbles but, overall, I would recommend reading Call Me Irresistible – especially if you enjoyed Fancy Pants and Lady Be Good. It isn’t necessary to read the previous books – the important bits are summarized nicely – but this book might make you curious enough to pick up some of the others.

Grade: B

Summary:

R.S.V.P. to the most riotous wedding of the year . . .

Lucy Jorik is the daughter of a former United States president. Meg Koranda is the offspring of legends. One of them is about to marry Mr. Irresistible—Ted Beaudine—the favorite son of Wynette, Texas. The other is not happy about it and is determined to save her friend from a mess of heartache.

But even though Meg knows that breaking up her best friend’s wedding is the right thing to do, no one else seems to agree. Faster than Lucy can say “I don’t,” Meg becomes the most hated woman in town—a town she’s stuck in with a dead car, an empty wallet, and a very angry bridegroom.

Broke, stranded, and without her famous parents at her back, Meg is sure she can survive on her own wits. What’s the worst that can happen? Lose her heart to the one and only Mr. Irresistible? Not likely. Not likely at all . . .

Read an excerpt.

Connected books :

Are you tired of top ten lists, faithful reader? I hope not because here’s mine.

10. Rules of an Engagement by Suzanne Enoch – what could be better than sailing the South Pacific, encountering natives, fascinating wildlife and pirates? If your ship’s captain is smoking hot, of course. Read my review HERE.

9. Pleasures of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole – an very good entry into a consistently excellent series.

8. Lessons in French by Laura Kinsale – soooo nice to see Ms. Kinsale back and full of humor.

7. Slow Heat by Jill Shalvis – I love Ms. Shalvis’ baseball series and hope for more books soon. Please? Pretty please??

6. Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas – the end of the Hathaway series. I’ve always had a soft spot for Beatrix and was very pleased with her book. Also, I’m a sucker for books with letter writing.

5. Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon – the first story in her Chronicles of Nick series. I’m not usually a YA reader but I was intrigued enough by hints of this one to pick it up. So good! And she seems to be correcting/re-booting some errors in the main DH series, maybe. We shall see.

4. Play of Passion by Nalini Singh – one of my favorites of the series and certainly my favorite of recent entries. Plus we get to see bits of Hawke and Sienna. Yay!

3. Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey – are you looking for an excellent straight-up contemporary? Look no further! And the sequel is very good, too.

2. Here There Be Monsters by Meljean Brook – so it’s a novella. And I was skeptical, even after seeing the raves. Why would I put a novella I was unsure about picking up on my “Best of” list? Because it’s awesome! It gives us our first glimpse into Ms. Brook’s Iron Seas series which leads me to…

NUMBER 1!! The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook – I don’t have words for how excellent this book is. It defies description – at least, a description that properly conveys it’s awesomeness. All I can say is READ IT.

Now for some books I’m looking forward to in 2011 (in release order, as things stand now):

Call Me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips – yes, I know several people have already read this one but I haven’t. My copy is pre-ordered though. Why? It’s Teddy’s book! It seems like I’ve been waiting for his story forever.

ShadowFever by Karen Marie Moning – why this one? Barrons! And the wait is almost over. Yay!

A Lot Like Love by Julie James – I have enjoyed all of Ms. James’ books so far and expect this one to continue that trend.

Breaking the Rules by Suzanne Brockmann – do you need to ask why? One word: Izzy Izzy Izzy! (What? It’s one word…three times.)

Any Man of Mine by Rachel Gibson (beware the Flash!) – her last few books have been hit-or-miss for me so I’m hoping this one will be a hit. Sorry for the lack of cover. Our friends over at the Book Binge have it posted, though.

There are many more, of course, but those are the ones that are coming up soonish.

Agree? Disagree? What are you looking forward to?

So it seems I read more good books than bad in 2010, which is pretty great. These are the ones I loved most of all and that I now want to go read right this minute.

10. When Blood Calls by J. K. Beck – This book has one of my favorite heroes. I absolutely love Luke and I can see myself re-reading this again for him alone.  There is lots of great potential with this series, so I might be willing to overlook the second book. More on that one later, though. See my review here.

9. Bitter Night by Diana Pharaoh Francis – It’s hard to find an urban fantasy that stands out. I read so many books that if I don’t write down my thoughts I quickly forget what I love or hate about it. Bitter Night has stayed in my head and the next book, which just came out, is in my needs to be read soon pile.

You can read my review here.

8. The Darkest Hour by Maya Banks – Maya Banks has become a favorite author of mine when it comes to romantic suspense. Even though these don’t feel very much like romantic suspense to me, it has everything I usually want out of the genre. My emotions get involved and I’m hooked. I love the Kelly family and I hope I get to spend a lot more time with them in future books. My review is here.

7. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare – This book and series for me is like Twilight all over again. The staying up late, anxiety over what could happen next, wanting the couple to overcome their seemingly insurmountable problems and be together. For some reason young adult books turn me into the stereotypical romance reader. I become a teenage girl again and these books are like crack to me. I’m sure there are flaws in this book, but I get sucked in and I can’t see beyond the page I’m reading.  Also, I would pick Jace over Edward any day.

6. Enemy Within by Marcella Burnard – I don’t read sci fi romance nearly as often as I’d like to. It seems to be a genre that I forget how much I like it until I’m reading another book. I probably wouldn’t have thought to read this book unless it’s been sent to me to review. It really would have been a shame if I had missed this book. It’s fun and exciting, everything I could want from the genre.

5.  Mocking Jay by Suzanne Collins – This is a hard book to read, a hard series to read, but it belongs on my best of ever list. My review of it says it all, and I’d rather not get into the emotions of it all again. There are some books I just have a hard time moving on from once the final page is done, and this is one of them. I just hope the movie based on this series can live up to the book.

4. Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips – I wish I could read this book again for the first time. I’m not a huge contemporary fan, I’m picky with them and I think it’s because paranormal is my first love. After reading about vampires, demons, and angels, real life books just seem a bit dull. Not at all the case with Kiss an Angel. This is the only contemporary book that is on my keeper shelf, which itself is not very big, I don’t tend to keep many books. I’m very tempted to go start this book again, just from typing this.

3. Silver Bourne by Patricia Briggs – This is one of my favorite series that I can honestly say I have enjoyed every book. Briggs knows how to write a story and keep it fresh. Mercy and Adam are on the top of my favorite characters list. If you haven’t read this series, then you are missing out.

2. Archangel’s Kiss by Nalini Singh- Of course I couldn’t make this list without having a book by Ms. Singh on it. She can’t really do any wrong to me, and I can add any of her books here. I love Elena and Raphael and the rest of the characters in this world. It’s angels and vampires, a must read for anyone.

1. Changes by Jim Butcher – I can’t think of anyone who tops Harry in the urban fantasy world. I can’t even express how much I love Harry, this world, and Jim Butcher. This is the 12th book in the series so I can’t really say anything without giving everything away. If you aren’t reading it, you should be.

And now…the bad. There aren’t as many, which was good for me.

5. Evermore by Alyson Noel- I don’t think this book would be so well liked if it wasn’t the ‘in’ thing right now. It doesn’t stand up to the really good paranormal young adult books. It’s boring and underwhelming.

4. Tempted by a Warrior by Amanda Scott – The characters are uninteresting and the plot is predictable. I couldn’t stand the heroine and I ended up skimming the book. Not sure I plan to bother reading any more by Amanda Scott.

3. Finding the Lost by Shannon K. Butcher – This book is just bad. It’s a series that I can’t seem to stop reading, even though I don’t like it very much. I do have to say the latest book in this series is a bit better, but not a great read by any means. Finding the Lost is my least favorite and I still don’t really care what happens to Andra and Paul. In fact, in the latest book, I hate Andra even more. She isn’t the type of person I could ever like, and because of her, I couldn’t find anything to like about Paul. See my review here.

2. When Pleasure Rules by J. K. Beck – What makes this so bad is not even the fact that it’s a bad story, but that I enjoyed the first book so much. I don’t understand how one book can be one of the better ones I’ve read and the next is almost the worst. I still don’t know if I will read the third book, I don’t want to waste time on what could be another bad book. I hate that what I thought would be a great new series has turned out to be such a dud. You can read my review here.

1. Shadows at Midnight by Elizabeth Jennings – My review pretty much says it all. I kind of wish I never had to read this. If I was one to throw books, it would have been this one.

]]> http://goodbadandunread.com/2011/01/10/ash-reviews-the-good-and-the-bad-of-2010/feed/ 1 http://goodbadandunread.com/2009/08/21/the-great-western-drive-gnawin-bones/ http://goodbadandunread.com/2009/08/21/the-great-western-drive-gnawin-bones/#comments Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:00:17 +0000 Sandy M http://goodbadandunread.com/2009/08/21/the-great-western-drive-gnawin-bones/

Our three blog hosts cum Western Romance experts have taken the time to tell you a little more about their thoughts and feelings concerning this beloved genre of theirs. So sit back and have fun with these ladies as they answer the same questions from their very differing points of view!

Sybil in Sybil-ese:

GREAT WESTERN DRIVE: What was the first western romance you ever read?

SYBIL: No clue. Whirlwind Bride by Debra Cowan is the first western I see reviewed on TGTBTU on 3/14/05, but was nowhere near my first western. Or my first Harlequin Historical. I want to say prolly Nicole Jordan’s The Outlaw or Elizabeth Lowell’s Winter Fire, which lead to the Only Series (Winter Fire is still my FAVE and the only series ROCKS).

BUT back when I read trash (I say that with so much love and why I am confused to this day why romance is called ‘trash’), but from 13 to early 20s (I slowed down around 17 cuz I was verra busy causing trouble, uh I mean working), in between reading all of V.C Andrews, Sidney Sheldon, Daniele Steele, Jackie Collins I read a western romance. All I recall, it’s a cover with a bathtub type thing (barrel like) with the outlaw behind her. She was kidnapped. And uh… that is just about it… This is the time to I read Glitter Baby by SEP.

I always say my first romance was Shadowheart by Laura Kinsale because that is when my OCD blogness started. When I went searching for like minded people, found Maili’s blog and AAR. It is when I started my blogspot and blah blah blah (I warned you I ramble, yes?) AND didn’t figure out until after I was blogging for a few years? that Glitter Baby was THE SEP. So I still don’t really ‘count’ that nameless book.

GWD: Do you have a favorite western romance author?

SYBIL: I have favorites I like to bitch about *g*. No longer writing westerns but SHOULD BE faves would be Susan Kay Law, Maureen McKade, and Dana Ransom.

GWD: How about a favorite western hero? Heroine?

SYBIL: Oh I suck at this type of question, can I phone a friend?

GWD: When reading, what do you look for in the perfect cowboy?

SYBIL: Oh holy hell, these questions were put together while I was dealing with the website cuz yuck. I will go with K and W gave amazing answers and point you to them. [Ed. you could try, Syb!]

GWD: And the perfect cowgirl to go with that cowboy?

SYBIL: Someone who can hold their own…

GWD: How do you know when you’re reading a bad western romance? Are they any signs?

SYBIL: The author takes the idea that alpha means abuses, demeaning, or assholish. But oddly I can read and LOVE Elizabeth Lowell’s old westerns. For some reason they don’t trip my switch as being ‘too much.’

If the characters all sound like they are in 2009, I can’t read that, or if the cheese is just too fantastic. The whole drama over Cassie Edwards was odd to me because her writing seems like such a bad joke, I was not at all surprised it was copy and paste.

GWD: What’s the one thing that will really turn off you when reading a western romance?

SYBIL: LOL the above

GWD: How do you know when you’re reading a good Western

SYBIL: LOL I make it through the first few chapters without a headache from rolling my eyes.

GWD: Is there one Western that stands out above all others?

SYBIL: Ride the Fire by Pamela Clare. There is something about a book that opens with a man pointing a gun at a very pregnant woman demanding she doctor him and she gets the upper hand in the first few chapters.

GWD: Who is the Western Author who no longer writes them that you miss the most?

SYBIL: Oops, I answered this, huh? Did I miss anyone? Lorraine Heath REALLY should come back as well as Patrica Potter

GWD: Why do you think westerns have seen such an ebb and flow over the years?

SYBIL: I think it is totally about glitz and glam. People think west and think of the work, sweat, work, bawdy women, work and go ewwwww I want that pretty, pretty, pretty Regency book. Waltz me baby, which is all well and good, but people tend to forget a lot of the Regency history in those books are painted with the same romance brush as westerns.

Personally I don’t ‘put myself’ into the shoes of the heroine. I don’t want to fall in love with the hero as much as I want to fall in love with the love story. And some of my themes lend themselves so well to westerns – Second Chance stories, Road Romances, ‘Cabin Romances.’ People also forget America had a lot of money and glam in the East, so some of those ‘westerns’ can give them both things. They even have virgins in the west… honest.

Ramblin’ Kristie J:

GWD: What was the first western romance you ever read?

KRISTIE: I’ve been reading Westerns for years, so I can’t remember exactly which one it was – but I have a feeling I was at a UBS looking for Rexanne Becnel and forgot her name and ended up getting a Rosanne Bittner instead. I can’t remember what book it was – but it blew me away and I was hooked from then on.

GWD: Do you have a favorite western romance author?

KRISTIE: Well, Rosanne Bittner *g*. Also Patricia Potter, Cheryl St. John, Lorraine Heath (Westerns only). Those are the ones who first come to mind.

GWD: How about a favorite western hero? Heroine?

KRISTIE: Hero – there are too many to choose from!! Heroines one of my favorites is Miranda Hayes from Outlaw Hearts by Rosanne Bittner.

GWD: When reading, what do you look for in the perfect cowboy?

KRISTIE: I always love a hero who is wrecked for the heroine – in any genre. I also love the tortured hero. Lobo from Patricia Potter is one who fits both those bills.

GWD: And the perfect cowgirl to go with that cowboy?

KRISTIE: As for cowgirls – one who is strong, who doesn’t rely on the hero to bail her out. One who wears dresses for the most part, although I did just finish Stacey Kayne’s latest, Mountain Wild, and she was a trapper yet I really liked her. I think it was because she was forced into her circumstances rather than choosing it. [Ed. See, Sybs, not so hard!]

GWD: How do you know when you’re reading a bad western romance? Are they any signs?

KRISTIE: I started reading one not long ago and the author put in “Western” speak!! It was awful – even worse than Scottish speak. I couldn’t get past the first chapter. It may have been a good story, but I’ll never know. Wooden stereotypes are also annoying.

GWD: What’s the one thing that will really turn off when reading a western romance?

KRISTIE: Bad writing, bad writing, bad writing. As much as I love Westerns, a poorly written book will turn me off.

GWD: Is there one Western that stands out above all others?

KRISTIE: Outlaw Hearts by Rosanne Bittner. If someone asked for my choice for one that embodies most of what I love about the genre, this is my number one pick.

GWD: Who is the Western Author who no longer writes them that you miss the most?

KRISTIE: Lorraine Heath – without question. Her Westerns had a poignancy – every single one – and I don’t think she has captured that as well in her English historicals.

GWD: Why do you think westerns have seen such an ebb and flow over the years?

KRISTIE: I think all genres have an ebb and flow but the Western more so then most. I don’t think a lot of readers have tried them, so they don’t know what they are missing. I think a number of readers who have tried them just haven’t read the right one for them. And I think some readers like being carried away by the fantasy of England. But if they read the right one – and see what a good Western can offer – I think they can be swayed. There are a lot of genres I thought I’d never try and yet when I read that one book, I was converted. And I think there are quite a fan of Westerns who have kind of ‘forgotten’ about them. We are really hoping to reach all those groups with this Drive.

Wendy, the SuperLibrarian:

GWD: What was the first western romance you ever read?

WENDY: Nevada Nights by Ruth Ryan Langan, a 1980s-tastic western romance that I read when I was around 14 years old and the first book I read that had gasp s-e-x in it. This book features some of my favorite old-skool tropes. Convent-raised heroine? Check. Mysterious gunslinger named Colt? Check. Soap opera style plot featuring heroine’s odious long-lost family? Check. I wouldn’t recommend this book to readers today, but, dang, as a doe-eyed teen I flipping loved every single word.

GWD: Do you have a favorite western romance author?

WENDY: Hands down Maggie Osborne. She wrote fantastic heroines and never took the easy way out in her stories.

GWD: How about a favorite western hero? Heroine?

WENDY: This is tough. I have a huge soft spot for Beta heroes, so probably Dillon Hennessey from The Horseman by Jillian Hart. Although I also have a soft spot for younger heroes who feel like they have to ‘prove themselves’ – so on that front I think Austin Leigh from Texas Splendor by Lorraine Heath wins.

GWD: When reading, what do you look for in the perfect cowboy?

WENDY: I’m looking for a hero with a strong moral code. Heroes that, while they might have terrible reputations, will ultimately do what’s right.

GWD: And the perfect cowgirl to go with that cowboy?

WENDY: Generally speaking, I like heroines with gumption. They don’t have to kick ass and rescue themselves necessarily, but I also want them to do more than sit in the corner, ring their hands and cry. A lot of western heroines start out their romances literally up against a wall (and no, not in a good way!) and I like reading about a woman who isn’t going to simply roll over and die or pray for a hero to come along and rescue her.

GWD: How do you know when you’re reading a bad western romance? Are they any signs?

WENDY: There’s a long-lost gold mine in the plot. Seriously. Every terrible western I’ve read tends to feature a long-lost gold mine. Also, there’s a bathing scene. Hero and/or heroine spies the other one taking a bath in a stream, pond, lake, whatever and they get all tingly. Sort of like spies in Regency historicals, the bathing scene has been done to death in westerns and it needs to be taken out behind the barn and shot.

GWD: What’s the one thing that will really turn you off when reading a western romance?

WENDY: Too-stupid-to-live heroines who aren’t dead yet. Look, living in the west was hard. There weren’t a lot of comforts, and for that matter, there wasn’t a whole lot of structured law. When I read about a heroine doing something stupid in a western, I think to myself, “How is she not dead yet?”

GWD: How do you know when you’re reading a good Western?

WENDY: Westerns aren’t all that different from other romance subgenres. I’m looking for what I call the Emotional Gut Punch Moment. That moment when the author takes all the emotion, heartbreak, angst, etc., rolls it up and smacks the reader over the head with it. Every book in my keeper stash has such a moment. That moment where the author literally rips my heart out, resurrects it, and stuffs it back into my chest cavity.

GWD: Is there one Western that stands out above all others?

WENDY: This is tough because I’ve read so many great westerns over the years. I would say Lorraine Heath’s Texas/Leigh brother trilogy, mostly because it’s one of the few times in my life I’ve ever read a series back-to-back-to-back. Also, A Reason To Live by Maureen McKade, just for the sheer emotional intensity of that story. That story knocked me out.

GWD: Who is the Western Author who no longer writes them that you miss the most?

WENDY: Definitely Maggie Osborne, who retired after her last book in 2004. I really admire many of her books and, frankly, I think the romance genre desperately needs more writers like her.

Of authors who are still publishing but have left the west? Probably a toss up between Lorraine Heath and Nicole Jordan.

GWD: Why do you think westerns have seen such an ebb and flow over the years?

WENDY: Demographics have changed. The baby boomers literally grew up on westerns, in books, films, and TV. You couldn’t turn on a TV in the 1960s without tripping over a cowboy. But as time has advanced, publishers (like every other industry) is desperate to court that 18-49 year old demographic, and frankly? Those readers (of which I’m one) didn’t necessarily grow up on westerns. Also, publishers want to make money – so they’ll hop on The Next Big Thing, whatever that is, when it starts to sell. Hey, the western romance was king at one point, but like everything, it couldn’t last forever. Readers got burnt out. They got tired of slogging through crap to get to the gems. So they went looking for something “new.” I think readers will come back to the western, especially those readers hungry for real emotional stories. It’s just going to take publishers willing to take the “risk” and talented authors churning out quality stories.

GWD: And there you have it, Western fans, the be-all, end-all last word of the biggest fans in blogdom about reading those famed Western romances. You ready to gnaw on some bones with these gals?

Limecello’s review of What I Did for Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Contemporary romance hardcover released by William Morrow on 27 Jan 09

Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ newest novel What I Did for Love has been a long time coming. It’s set in Hollywood, loosely like her recent re-release, Glitter Baby. The stories are in no way tied together, but you might see some familiar characters. Ms. Phillips is one of my favorite authors, though I’ve noticed many of her more recent books would fall into “women’s fiction” rather than romance. (This makes me sad.) As usual, Ms. Phillips’ novel has a wealth of well developed characters, and the hero, Bram, and heroine, Georgie, are quirky and fun to read.

Georgie York is a Hollywood has been. She won her place as America’s sweetheart playing Scooter in the show Skip and Scooter. She hasn’t done anything big in seven years (since the show ended), and each film she’s been in since has been worse than the last. However, what really has Georgie down is her actor ex-husband’s actions. Georgie has surprising strength, but I felt that either she wasn’t completely developed, or I didn’t have a absolute grasp on her character. She seems to deceive herself a lot, though she does protect her emotions.

One thing I wasn’t too keen on was how Georgie often played the victim. She’s so pathetic and sad – but then in the end becomes this emotional pillar, without much of a rhyme or reason. Though I suppose that could be attributed to actually falling in love? I did, however, really like how Georgie drew on her Scooter character. It was a fun trait.

Bramwell Shepherd is a really fun hero. He played the kind and debonair Skip, but was the exact opposite in real life. Bram is misunderstood by pretty much everyone. There seem to be only two people who see Bram for who he truly is – and one is blinded by her hero worship. The thing is, Bram has changed a lot, but he acted so badly starting fourteen years ago, that nobody can look past that. (Yes, Georgie and Bram were on the tail end of being child stars.)

I liked that Bram tried, but he wasn’t desperate. It hurt, but he was willing to let everyone believe the worst of him. I think part of it was that he was so horrid before, protests to the contrary weren’t believable. Still, I found it a bit predictable. I liked that Bram was vulnerable, and human. He’s quite matter of fact, and rather revels in his nefarious characterization everyone has attached to him. It was nice that Bram was a broken character who comes into his own. And actually is pretty much changed when the novel begins. Nevertheless, Bram’s inner reprobate does still exist. His maneuvering gets him photographed at lunch with Georgie, and his machinations end up with the two getting married. He’s charmingly rogue-ish.

I liked the wide variety of secondary characters, though some, like Meg Koranda (the child of Fleur and Jake from Glitter Baby) seemed a bit superfluous. That being said, I liked Chaz (Bram’s housekeeper) and Aaron (Georgie’s assistant). And thought that their romance was very cute and sweet- and yes, foreseeable. The same with the romance between Paul (Georgie’s father) and Laura (Georgie’s agent/ex-agent). Lance (Georgie’s ex-husband) and Jade (his new wife) exactly fit the roles they were supposed to play, but Rory Keene I think was my favorite secondary character. (And dare I hope she’ll get her own novel?) Yes it does seem like all the characters are Georgie centered, but Bram holds his own. It had to be that way. (And it was nice to see how Ms. Phillips used the characters to reinforce her story line.)

I really enjoyed the themes that Ms. Phillips had throughout her novel. It was interesting to read all the subtext, and especially complicated, as Georgie generally had a Skip and Scooter script running through her head – whether an actual episode or ad libbed – concurrently with the present. It was also nice how so many of the secondary characters interacted with each other, and how they were developed.

One thing I found a bit off was the lack of romance throughout the novel. (Again – the women’s fiction angle?) I actually felt that Paul and Laura got the most for their story – and the best emotional connection, which is a bit sad because they have rather small roles. I would have liked a bit more introspection on the part of Georgie and Bram. They realized that they got along well, and were incredibly compatible sexually… but there was little emotionally. Aside from general human concern, I wasn’t 100% sure that they cared for each other until pretty much the bitter end. Still, the antics that Georgie and Bram get into are entertaining, and they draw you in. While the way the two get together is unusual, its believable and makes sense for the two of them.

The ending, however, was wonderful. I liked the dramatic finish, along with the fact that Ms. Phillips took the reader to a natural conclusion. The way she had Georgie and Bram act was very well planned, and their split might be one of my favorite parts. It was nice that all the character issues were resolved, and of course there was the requisite wild-eyed, dramatic declaration of love by the hero. Bram’s was actually rather complicated, and happened in stages.

I actually did enjoy the novel very much, and I believe read it in one sitting – it was hard to put down. I’m sure I don’t need to recommend this book to fans of Ms. Phillips – you’ve probably already read it.

Grade: B+

Summary:

It’s not easy being famous when your life is falling apart… Georgie York has been dumped by her movie star husband, her own film career is tanking, and her public image as a spunky romantic heroine is taking a serious beating.

What should a down-on-her-luck actress do? NOT go to Vegas…NOT run into her detestable former co-star—dreamboat-from-hell Bramwell Shepard…and NOT get caught up in a ridiculous incident that leads to a calamitous elopement. Before she knows it, Georgie has a fake marriage, fake husband, and maybe (or not) a fake sex life.

It’s a paparazzi free-for-all, and Georgie’s non-supporting cast doesn’t help. There’s Bram’s punk-nightmare housekeeper; Georgie’s pushy parent; a suck-up agent; an icy studio head; and her ex-husband’s new wife, an international do-gooder who just might win the stupid Nobel Peace Prize!

As for Georgie’s leading man… Bram, with his angel blue eyes and twisted black heart, has never cared about anyone but himself. Still, he’s giving the performance of his life as man in love—thanks to the half a million dollars she’s paying him. It was official. She’d married the devil. Or had she?

Two enemies find themselves working without a script in a town where the spotlight shines bright…and where the strongest emotions can wear startling disguises.

Listen to Ms. Phillips read the first chapter here.

This just in…

Susan Elizabeth Phillips is gearing up for a launch party on February 7 for the release of What I Did for Love.  Even if you don’t live in or near Chicago, you can still participate!

~ You’ll be able to watch the party unfold through live streaming over the internet.

~ You may also ask questions of Susan beforehand and she will answer them sometime during the festivities.

~ For those of you in the Chicago area, the party is being held at Anderson’s Bookshop, 123 West Jefferson in Naperville, Illinois at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 7.  There is a note on Susan’s site to check on that start time the closer to the event.  It may be subject to change.  Call Anderson’s at (630) 355-2665.

~ So you don’t forget, set up a reminder to make sure you get a good seat!  And if you have friends who aren’t that computer savy, they can listen by phone by calling 347-826-9686.

~ If you preorder your copy of What I Did for Love, Susan will autograph and personalize it for you.

~ She will also be signing Glitter Baby for those of you who don’t have your copy yet.

~ Check out Susan’s site for further travel plans if you’d like to stay in the Chicago area.

~ On Sunday, February 8, 9:00 p.m. EST, Susan will be chatting at Writerspace, if you’re not able to catch her on Saturday.

Consider yourself flashed.

Limecello’s review of Glitter Baby by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Fiction re-released by Avon on 30 Dec 08

Susan Elizabeth Phillips is one of my favorite authors. Favorite. Glitter Baby is one of the few novels that Ms. Phillips wrote that I hadn’t yet read due to availability, so I’m so glad this one was reprinted. Glitter Baby was first published in 1987 [Ed.: Check out the totally tubular shoulder-pad action on the original cover by mousing over this one], and this re-print has some revisions. I haven’t read a novel by Ms. Phillips in a while, so it was nice to come back to a novel that had the tone and style of her earlier works. I really enjoyed Glitter Baby – the characters are likable and well written, and the Hollywood aspect is a great tie to her new release What I Did For Love. (Which I need to get my hands on!)

“The Glitter Baby” is the persona created for the public facet of Fleur Savagar’s life. She is also the first character we meet in the novel, and the opening is quite effective. I really liked the introduction, but immediately after the story moved to tell of Fleur’s mother — Belinda Britton. I really didn’t like Belinda, and for more than the obvious reasons. She’s a horrible person, a parasite, and quite likely a sociopath. At least, that’s what I thought of Belinda. But perhaps being a sociopath would make it better, because Belinda was so one dimensional. Perhaps I don’t sympathize with her enough, but I never felt that Belinda truly loved Fleur. She only “loved” her daughter because Fleur was a tie to Errol Flynn — Fleur’s father.

This is getting confusing. I felt that the reader is actually given much more of Belinda’s history than Fleur’s in comparison. (In a way I felt that Fleur was slightly short changed.) Belinda is obsessed with Hollywood. She wants to be a star, but while beautiful, has no personality. Belinda also views actors as being superhuman. They can do what they want, and are better and more important than “regular people.” It’s almost creepy the way Belinda is willing to be degraded to cater to the whims of “Hollywood royalty.” Belinda is living with Errol Flynn, but ends up marrying Alexi Savagar when Belinda discovers she is pregnant after Flynn drops her.  I got the impression that Alexi loved Belinda, at first, but that Alexi is a psychopath. I had hoped he would be more emotive, but alas, no. Fleur grows up away from home, because while Flynn and Savagar were friends, they were also rivals, and Alexi isn’t willing to raise someone else’s bastard.

The reader truly meets Fleur when she is sixteen, and Fleur is quite the sympathetic character. She’s desperate for love and acceptance, and has been manipulated by everyone who should have her best interest at heart. In a way, I was much more interested with Fleur’s past than with her as a person at that point. Fleur comes into herself throughout the novel, and experiences tragedy and growth in some of the most emotionally damaging ways. While Fleur’s character tugs on your heart strings, I admit that at times I got fed up. Aside from getting herself into some predictable situations, Fleur often was too naive — she needed a reality check.

Jake Koranda is a terrific hero, and in my opinion possibly one of the most approachable ones Ms. Phillips has written. He’s flawed, but in a good way. Although an award winning author and A-list author, Jake seems the most “normal.” I also liked that he never went out of his way to hurt Fleur -and he knew he wanted to pursue her early on. Jake is complex. He’s temperamental, bitter, and has a major chip on his shoulder. Yet he’s a good guy – and really cares for people. He’s smart, and had a difficult life. Jake is scarred by his childhood, his experience with marriage, and his stint in Vietnam. He’s lived a lifetime before he even hit 30. Jake is also gruff, abrupt, and sometimes a jerk. In short, he’s human. But one of the better guys.

The people and personalities truly are what make the book – the secondary stories and characters are a joy to read. Fleur’s half-brother Michel, and Fleur’s roommate/friend Kissy Sue Christie are unique in the best way possible. It has been a long time since I enjoyed a “supporting cast” as much. I also have to say – at the time where Fleur takes her life back into her hands, she becomes a great heroine. It’s really sweet how she’s her own woman, but still that shy awkward girl with Jake. And I love how he insists on intruding in her life and being there for her.

The resolution — as in what brought Fleur and Jake together — was terrific, and I’d love read or see a cameo appearance by any of these characters. I recommend this book to anyone who loves Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ writing (and who doesn’t?) as well as readers of contemporary romance, or simply anyone looking for a great new read.

Grade: A-

Summary:

Welcome to the world of the Glitter Baby

Fleur Savagar is the most beautiful woman in the world . . . to everyone but herself. With her oversized hands and paddle-boat feet, her streaky blond hair and funny green eyes, she lives a life filled with secrets that began before she was born. That was when her bewitching mother left home to find James Dean and met Errol Flynn instead. Now Fleur has to grow up quickly, and life won’t make that easy.

Jake Koranda is both New York’s most brilliant playwright and Hollywood’s hottest actor. Difficult, talented, and tormented, he has no patience for international glamour girls, not even ones with beautiful bodies and smart-aleck mouths. But there’s more to the Glitter Baby than shine, and Fleur’s tougher than Jake expects. Even with the odds stacked against her, she’s fiercely determined to discover the woman she’s destined to be.

An ugly duckling who can’t believe she’s turned into a swan . . . A tough-guy movie star with a haunted past . . . In a land of broken dreams, can two unlikely lovers trust their hearts?

Read an excerpt here.

Welcome to our very first Duck Chat!

I’ve been wanting to do author interviews for a while now, but for one reason or another life never wanted to let me get started working on the idea.  I’m happy to say things have changed and you’ll be chatting with some terrific authors every now and then from here on out.  So whenever you see our new spiked-do friends over there, you know you’re going to be in for a fun surprise and lots of chatting!

Our first Duck Chat interviewee is historical romance author Monica McCarty.  Monica has been in a constant whirlwind since her first book was released back in 2007. Read on to learn more about Monica, her life, and her books.

Monica lives in California with her family. Her husband Dave is a former professional baseball player and was part of the 2004 World Series Red Sox team. She’s a former copyright litigation attorney.  After practicing law a few years, Monica decided to take her love of research and writing in a new direction, which has been a huge gain for romance readers.  The MacLeods of Skye trilogy was Monica’s supersonic entry into romance publication.  Highlander Untamed, Highlander Unmasked, and Highlander Unchained were all hits and led to her second trilogy featuring Clan Campbell, Highland Warrior, Highland Outlaw, and Highland Scoundrel.  Warrior hits the shelves today. So after reading Syb’s review and saying hello to Monica, hop on over to Amazon.com or Borders and grab your copy hot off the presses.

Let’s chat!

Duck Chat:  If you could retire any question and never, ever have it asked again, what would it be? Feel free to answer it.

Monica McCarty:  LOL, I don’t think I’ve been doing this long enough to be tired of any question. But the hardest question for me to answer is the quick “what’s your book about.” You think it would be so easy, but trying to condense a 100k word book into a couple of lines in the most intriguing way isn’t easy.

DC:  I’ve heard writers often say their stories take them in surprising directions or dialogue flows from some unknown place. Is it the same with you? Do your characters surprise you sometimes?

MM:  Definitely. I write from a pretty well-thought-through synopsis, but it’s more like a roadmap for me. I like to know the major turning points in the story and the black moment, but I always leave room for the story to unfold on its own. I also always keep a notepad with me (especially by the bed and shower) so I can write down the scenes that come to me—it’s almost always dialogue.

DC:  Do you ever argue with your characters while you’re writing?

MM: It’s no use arguing: the characters are always right.

DC:  Tell us about your new trilogy featuring the bad boys of the Highlands, Clan Campbell.

MM:  The Campbell trilogy starts off with Jamie Campbell, a secondary character from Highlander Unmasked. Book #2 belongs to his sister Lizzie (also introduced in Highlander Unmasked) and the third to their half-brother Duncan. The Campbells usually get the role of the “bad guy” in romances (and in history), so I thought it would be fun to let them play hero for once. They also had a ton of enemies, which provides great fodder for an author. One of the best-known feuds with the MacGregors takes center stage in the first two books, the third is with the Gordons. Like my first series, you’ll find plenty of strapping lads in plaid and “ripped from the headlines” history (i.e. Law and Order).

DC:  Do you have a favorite bad boy?

MM:  Bad boy in romance: Kenny from Lady Be Good by SEP. Bad boy on TV: Sawyer from Lost.

DC:  What is sure to distract you from sitting down and working/writing?

MM:  I suspect I’m like most writers, if I’m in the mood to be distracted just about anything will do it. The main culprits are email, the internet, and my kids (not necessarily in that order!). On the other hand, if I’m on a roll, only having to pick up the kids from school or get dinner on the table distracts me.

DC:  How do you feel your writing has evolved since your first book? Do you think you write your male or female differently now than you did when you started writing?

MM:  I hope it’s improved, LOL, not only at storytelling but with the craft of writing. I’ve learned so much through RWA it’s amazing. As far as the male/female characters…hmm. I’m not sure. I think there are probably subtle differences. For example, with the men, I’m always asking myself, “Would a guy really do (or say) that?” to try to create as authentic male characters as possible.

DC:  We know the historical genre is your forte, but is there another genre you’d like to try your hand at some day?

MM:  I’d love to do some kind of contemporary “history mystery” along the lines of The DaVinci Code or The Last Templar, but alas I don’t have any brilliant ideas.

DC:  What advice would you give to your younger self?

MM:  Try to relax a little—I’m a definite “type A” personality, LOL. For writing it would be to try to not take rejection so personally. As I’ve learned more about the industry, I realize there are so many business reasons that come into the decision about whether to buy a book.

DC:  Okay, these are the usual questions asked of authors in most every interview, but inquiring minds want to know:

MM:  Favorite Historical Author: I’ll narrow it down to authors currently writing historicals: either Lisa Kleypas or Liz Carlyle
Favorite Historical Book: Toughest question of all time, LOL. Probably either Judith McNaught’s Almost Heaven or Julie Garwood’s The Bride.
Favorite Contemporary Author: Susan Elizabeth Philips
Favorite Contemporary Book: Lady Be Good
Favorite Paranormal Author Does Time Travel count? Karen Marie Moning (I don’t read much Paranormal.)
Favorite Paranormal Book: Kiss of the Highlander
Can I do romantic suspense, too? I love Shannon McKenna . Extreme Danger has one of my all time favorite heroes ever.

DC:  If you had never become an author, what do you think you would be doing right now?

MM:  Probably practicing law in some fashion.

Gwen’s Lightning Round:

- dark or milk chocolate?   milk (but I’m not much of a chocolate fan…seriously)
- smooth or chunky peanut butter?   chunky
- heels or flats?    heels
- coffee or tea?    both daily (addict anyone?)
- summer or winter?   winter
- mountains or beach?   mountains
- mustard or mayonnaise?   mustard
- flowers or candy?   candy
- pockets or purse?   purse (I have a bit of a handbag “problem” as my husband calls it)
- Pepsi or Coke?   Pepsi
- print or ebook?    print (but I love my Kindle!)

Last-minute fun stuff:

What is your favorite word? Bedtime
What is your least favorite word? “Mom…!”
What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Watching a good movie or reading a good book
What sound or noise do you love? Water (i.e. streams, brooks, waterfalls)
What sound or noise do you hate? Fingernails on the chalkboard
What is your favorite curse word? I don’t curse! (Right, probably the “f” word)
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Broadway singer (unfortunately I have no voice)
What profession would you not like to do? Maid, cook, nurse and psychologist (Wait! I already do those.)
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? “Welcome, you sure took a long time in getting here!”

Thank you, Monica!

For those of you who have any questions or comments for Monica, she’ll be stopping by throughout the day, so this is your chance!

No, that’s not a typo. I’m unique. And the rogue duckie – so instead of making my own “Best of 2008″ list… I’m going for the new year. These are the 10 books I’m most looking forward to in 2009. (You’ll notice some books don’t even have cover art yet.) 

N.B. I’d like to issue the caveat that… this is only based on books/lists that I could find. I’d also like to note that… just because I’m excited about it, doesn’t mean its a guarantee I’ll like it. (Color me picky.)

I also haven’t been reading romances that long, and it seems my tastes/author choices differ from a number of people. But that’s ok, because this is my list and I’m sticking to it.

In no particular order…

	1. What I Did For Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (Contemporary romance, Wm.Morrow, 27 Jan 09).  Case in point – I’m not 100% sure how I feel about Ms. Phillips’s last few novels. But I bought them – in hardcover. The premise for What I Did For Love sounds interesting, but hasn’t gripped me. (Then again – I wouldn’t have thought I’d *love* Nobody’s Baby But Mine, based on the plot summary.) So we shall see. But still. It’s Susan Elizabeth Phillips – and she’s one of my favorite authors.
	2. Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas (Contemporary romance, St. Martin’s, 31 Mar 09). She’s one of my favorite authors – and… don’t kill me, but Seduce Me at Sunrise and Blue-Eyed Devil were good reads, but not AMAZING. I’m already more excited about Smooth Talking Stranger based on the blurbs. Ms. Kleypas is also one of the few authors that can make me enjoy first person point of view. (Cuz FPPV and I? We are not friends.) But the Travis’s! And… even though it’s a secret baby book, which makes me chuckle, I WANTS it.
	3. Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole (Contemporary paranormal romance, Pocket, nodate Jan 09). I discovered Ms. Cole relatively early in 2008, not too long before I started reviewing, and I think she has the one series I’ve reviewed in total (thus far). And, the hero, Rydstrom, has horns. Horns! I never thought I’d be into horns, but… Ms. Cole has won me over. I love her kick ass heroines who *actually* kick butt -and they’re super hot to boot. And the heroes. Yum. This is a great paranormal world. Fun, scary, violent, full of lore- but one that doesn’t take itself too seriously. My kind of books.
	4. Naked Edge by Pamela Clare (Contemporary romantic suspense, Berkley, 3 Nov 09). I heard about Ms. Clare, and first read Extreme Exposure, which is probably one of my favorite books. Extreme Exposure is extremely well written, great plot, and the hero is one of my favorite types. A good politician. More rare than… well something you’d think is outrageous but I’m sure is in a number of paranormals. Thus, Extreme Exposure (and the subsequent books by Ms. Clare I’ve read, have prompted me to put Naked Edge on my list). I have been waiting for this new I-Team book – and… I don’t know. The heroine Kat is Native American. I think that’s pretty nifty. (Major understatement.)
	5. Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh (Paranormal romance, Berkley, 7 Jul 09). I discovered Ms. Singh early on in ’08, and read all her Psy/Changeling books – in proper Psy/Changeling chronological order, even – serendipitously. Ms. Singh’s book world is intense, and amazing. It’s so well developed you believe it’s real. Scary. (But oh so cool!) Thus, this book edged out Angels’ Blood. (That and the blurb talks about lots of violence and I’m kinda squeamish about teh violences.) AND more importantly, when I read the excerpt for this book my reaction was pretty much “SQUEE SQUEE SQUEE!”
	6. True Love and Other Disasters by Rachel Gibson (Contemporary romance, Avon, 28 Apr 09). Yes, another one of my favorite authors. And a book back to/dealing with Hockey. I read See Jane Score  – and I was hooked. I was even willing to get into hockey. (SEP‘s Chicago Stars, along with college, were what got me into football. And if you click around in my posts, you’ll see I can be a football nut. Especially College.) Although… I will say I DO NOT like all the Flash stuff on Ms. Gibson’s web page. Yay for her designer and all – but it takes forever and I can’t get to the information I want. Does not like! The book, however… *happy sigh*
	7. Deeper by Megan Hart (Contemporary erotic romance, Spice, nodate Jul 09). I love the title. I love the cover. I really like Megan Hart’s writing. There’s something about it. Like crack. It also often depresses the hell out of me – which I hate – but I love her books. They’re so raw, yet well written. And this book blurb. *shivers* I’m going to smack myself if the ending isn’t relatively happy. (I know not to expect bubblegum yay.)
	8. What Happens in London by Julia Quinn (Historical romance, Avon, 30 Jun 09). Yet another author that goes on my “best of” lists – and… while others didn’t like it as much, I adored The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever, and I hope to like the sequel just as much. (Especially if, you know, it is its own book.) So joy for another book more like The Secret Diaries!
	9. Written On Your Skin by Meredith Duran (Historical romance, Pocket, 28 Jul 09). This one looks more interesting than Bound by Your Touch – although I’m a little skeptical about some of the settings. Though I expect if anyone can win me over to parts written in Hong Kong, it is Ms. Duran. I hope not to be disappointed. This book also makes the list because had I done an ’08 list, Ms. Duran would have made it with her debut novel Duke of Shadows.
	10. Hard and Fast by Erin McCarthy (Contemporary romance, Berkley Trade, 5 May 09). First, it’s Ms. McCarthy. Second, it’s Ms. McCarthy writing a contemporary novel. Third, the heroine’s name is Imogen. I really like a number of Imogen Heap’s songs – so I have a major positive association with her. And – Ms. McCarthy may even win me over to NASCAR. At least in fiction. I read the excerpt, and I am in love. I love it. I want this book. I don’t even want to see when this book comes out (May 09) – because I don’t want to wait.

—

Honorable Mentions/if I squint just right are included/still within the number 10…

	10a. Tasting Fear by Shannon McKenna (Contemporary erotic romance, Brava, 28 Jul 09). Okay, so I have to admit, I know nothing about this book. I think it’s Kevin McCloud’s book – and how exciting will it be for a McCloud book to actually star a McCloud? (See? I can good naturedly mock my favorite authors/self.) I also know that Ms. McKenna is one of my favorite authors, and she is one of the few authors I will venture into adventure/suspense for. (And once I buy Ultimate Weapon, Ms. McKenna might have the sole and honorable distinction of being the only author whose entire back list is in my possession and my property…)
	10b. Relentless by Lauren Dane (Sci-fi romance, Berkley Trade, 5 ay 09). I don’t read scifi/fantasy or futuristic novels. I haven’t read scifi/fantasy since middle school. I’ve never particularly enjoyed futuristic novels. BUT! But! I read Undercover, and I loved it. I can see why Undercover took Ms. Dane to the bestseller’s list – and if you haven’t read it – you should. I enjoyed Undercover so much I had to pace myself, and used it as a way to treat myself. And Ms. Dane’s writing (in my humble opinion) only gets better.
	10c. This Duchess of Mine (Historical romance, Avon, 26 May 09) and…10d. A Duke of Her Own by Eloisa James (Historical romance, Avon, 30 Jun 09). I, being the lowly peon I am, do not know what these books are about (other than This Duchess of Mine is Jemma’s book). I have been waiting for Villier’s book, so hopefully he’s healed at some point in the near future. And you know, I love Ms. James’s books. I read Duchess in Love and fell in love. There’s been no turning back since.

—

11. The book I don’t know about by the new author (whoknows, someone, date TBD). I know a lot of people will say that’s a cop out, so that’s why I listed 10 books, then have this one. I mean, I’m sure there are books I don’t know about – and/or what about that one newbie author that writes an amazing book?

The End. Seriously.

Out of all the books coming out in 09 (that I know about – and I found some lists of hundred of books.) These – *these* I want. I will do much to get my hands on these books. What did Scarlet O’Hara say? “Lie, cheat, kill or steal” right? Well… take out the third… and you’ve pretty much got me

So I’ve thought about this before (some of you may or may not have seen this on twitter) – but anyway, two of my favorite authors are Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and Lisa Kleypas. I go to both their books as comfort reads. Once a book becomes a “comfort read” I also don’t always read it from cover to cover. I only read my favorite parts. (This may explain my extreme love of Lover Revealed – about half the book doesn’t exist for me!) Anyway, after the 8th or so reading, my mind may wander. Or in general. So now… we’re going to do a romance novel celebrity death match type deal. I’ve never really seen the show, and I heard someone somewhere in the ether of interweb-ness has done this before. Frankly, I don’t care. I haven’t seen it, and am pretty sure I’m not violating any IP laws – in case anyone wants to make a stink about it. (And am almost willing to go read up on the statutes. Just so you know.)

But. WITHOUT further ado… I give you the backlists of the two authors. And Honestly! Which heroes would win their matches? (And to be honest, I think they’re all rather evenly matched.) I also admitto not having read every novel by these authors. Hey – some are nearly impossible to find! Like The Copeland Bride by SEP (yeah – betcha didn’t even know this existed!)

Ok – so I used some of the older covers (I do NOT like some of the new ones) – but don’t worry. The links’ll take you to the newer and available versions. It’s also sad how all of SEPs old book covers are gone.

To start… St. Vincent (Devil in Winter – LK) and Lorenzo Gage (Breathing Room – SEP). Two playboys, who have a lot more depth than expected. Who do you think would win in a throw down, brawl, match (whatever you want to call it)? And/or any of the other heroes?

Ready? Set? GO GO GO!

This just in…

Avon has three terrific historicals on their site that you can read right now at no charge whatsoever!!!

~ Lorraine Heath’s In Bed with the Devil, Sarah Gabriel’s Keeping Kate, and Margo Maguire’s The Bride Hunt are 100% free to read on the Avon website.

~ Plus, with HarperCollins’ new Browse Inside feature we told you about recently, you can also check out other goodies like Glitter Baby by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, At Grave’s End by Jeaniene Frost, Tempt the Devil by Anna Campbell, The Highland Groom by Sarah Gabriel, and Wild by Margo Maguire, most of which are brand new, upcoming titles, to see if they’re something you’d like to read before you actually buy.

~ Check it all out here.

Consider yourself flashed.

What’m I talking about? Well FOOTBALL of course! One of my favorite things is college football. I’m a big fan, but not die hard. (Although my sister and I are plotting ways we can catch the game while at a friend’s wedding in a few weeks. Actually, his wedding is a two day extravaganza.) Do the polls and numbers numbers mean anything to you? Good things? Bad things? Do you agree or disagree? Could care less?

I don’t know about you, but I went to a big football school. I think it was a combinations of things. We won the national championship my freshman year. I didn’t even buy season tickets going in – because really – who cares about football? :X (Sacrilege, I know. Hey – I grew up and have lived all my life North of the Mason Dixon line.) Not to say we don’t have good football up North. I mean there’s The Ohio State University, and that state up North (both in the Big Ten). I suppose I have to give props to the Pac Ten as well. Otherwise, the SEC is a major power house, and everyone knows football is akin to religion (if not greater) for the Big Twelve. (Yes I know there are more conferences.)

Some of the big schools playing this Saturday are the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes, Trojans, Sooners, Gators, Tigers, Mountaineers, and Longhorns. Some schools have awesome mascots. Others are run of the mill. You have your fierce animals, the ones everyone knows – and then the interesting ones.

Even if you have nothing to do with sports, there are some mascots that are recognizable to everyone. Likely everyone knows John Harvard. (*Please* tell me you can place this one.) The Ivy League is fun – it makes sports fanatics cringe, but Harvard and Yale have fun at their game, and the crazy traditions. (I know Harvard students go streaking before the game.) There’s the green wave (Tulane)- but their mascot figure is a pelican. Stanford’s tree has a mascot contest, I believe – which is fun (or they used to). Does your school, big or small, have a nutty sports tradition?

There are the teams you love, and the teams you hate. And I haven’t even gotten into pro football yet. (Don’t worry, I won’t. ) But other than this post being YAY YAY YAY COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS BACK AND THAT’S AMAZINGLY TERRIFIC – I’d like to involve all of you.

Do you like football? Hate it? Like another sport? Soccer, Baseball, Hockey? Have had friends who were on teams, managed teams, were cheerleaders or dancers for a team? Does your significant other love or hate sports? Are you sitting there with him/her or wishing you could use a crow bar to pry him or her off the couch? (Or using said crowbar to brain them?)

I liked playing touch football well enough, but I was never big on professional spots. Until, as I said, freshman year. There was no avoiding it, and by the end, I didn’t want to. I also discovered Susan Elizabeth Phillips, one of my favorite authors, and read her Chicago Stars books. Honestly- how can you not be at least the tiniest interested in football after that?

Still, even with all the football hype, some times my favorite stories and things about the sport are the human interest stories. Like Michael Oher’s. Yes, the article is long, but it’s worth reading. And – tell me how you can hate a sport which makes a life and gives someone who wouldn’t otherwise have them, great opportunities.

And of course, to make this everyone friendly – what’s a something that you absolutely love love love, that you look forward to yearly, (or whatever time period). Or, any good sports stories? Or bad- because sometimes those can be good too. Or a favorite character who is/was a pro athlete. (Rachel Gibson, Deirdre Martin and number of other authors write terrific stories with such characters.)

I had everything planned. Really, I did. Yeah, right. I had plans too. Besides meeting and chatting with all the authors I’ve gotten to know online over the past several years, I was going to write to ya’ll and let you know what’s happening. What’s stopped me? I forgot my wireless adapter for my laptop. Hmmmm. Do I have a brain? I thought my brain was intact and figured it would be so until I met my first real, live author. Maybe not. 

So I’m doing the next best thing. Paying for internet access at the Marriott. It’s better than nothing, which is what I’ve had for the last two days. Has it been worth it? Not having access to net? At all? You betcha!

I’ve had lunch with Sandy Blair and C.L. Wilson, chatted with Jade Lee, Jo Davis, Eve Silver, Caroline Linden, Jill Shalvis, Thea Devine and a multitude of other writing greats, dinner with Melissa Mayhue, chatted with aspiring authors like myself who have been nomiated for the Golden Heart, drinks with Tracy Garrett. I’ve listened to wonderful, humorous speeches by Victoria Alexander and Connie Brockway. I’ve gotten great advice from Elizabeth Hoyt and Susan Elizabeth Phillips so far. There’s still a boatload of workshops to choose from to learn so much more from those authors who I’ve admired for years. And there’s still the RITA and Golden Heart Awards Ceremony Saturday night to experience.

Talk about a dream come true. I never, ever thought I’d be doing any of this just a few short years ago. If I hadn’t listened to friends and decided to begin writing again, I wouldn’t have known RWA was going to be sorta in my backyard this year. Of course, I’m having fun more as a reader this week.

More than 500 authors were at the Literacy Signing on Wednesday night. OMG. Left and right, up and down aisle after aisle I saw Sabrina Jeffries, Cherry Adair, Jayne Ann Krentz, Lorraine Heath, Shana Abe, Stacey Kayne and so many more than my poor brain can’t even recall them all in one sitting. Who I couldn’t see because of all the people in line and surrounding them so you had to ask folks who they were in line for, Nora Roberts and Sherrilyn Kenyon just to name a couple. That’s okay though this time around. My noggin probably would have exploded if I’d seen them up close and personal!

Despite the tiredness and the sore feet, I’m in heaven. As usual, time is going way too fast and I’ll be headed home before I know it, but I’m going with a myriad of memories that will last me a lifetime. Usually when I come to San Francisco for a visit, I’m the common tourist roaming through Fisherman’s Wharf, Piccadilly Square, riding the cable cars, taking a crooked drive down Lombard Street, eating shirimp cocktails while watching waves roll across the ocean. Haven’t missed that a bit this time. And I won’t think of San Francisco in the same way ever again.

Time to go! Have more authors to meet! I’ll chat with ya’ll when I’m back home and recovered from the trip of my dreams!

This just in…

Romance Writers of America’s 28th Annual National Conference is about to kick off in California. Authors, readers, publishers, agents, just to name a few, will be gathering in the city by the bay, San Francisco, starting today, July 30, through Sunday, August 2, at the Marriott Hotel at Union Square.

~ The Annual Conference is a four-day event filled with educational workshops, career enhancement, and community involvement.

~ Wednesday, July 30, is the Literacy Signing where a list of who’s who of authors will be signing books, the proceeds of which will go to ProLiteracy Worldwide. This event is open to the public and is scheduled from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Yerba Buena Ballroom.

~ Victoria Alexander will be the Keynote Speaker and Connie Brockway is the speaker for the Awards Lucheon. Suzanne Brockmann wraps up the conference as emcee for the 2008 RITA and Golden Heart Awards Ceremony.

~ Lisa Kleypas, Lisa Jackson, Jayne Ann Krentz, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Barbara Samuel, and Jane Porter will deliver other keynote addresses during the conference.

~ Some interactive news at the conference this year – two radio shows are slated to stream live on the web, featuring some of the very best authors in paranormal romance and historical romance with the Ladies of the Night Blog Talk Radio Show, and you’re encouraged to participate.

~ Wednesday, July 30, 8 – 9 PM PDT, 11 pm – 12 am EDT will be a night of romance and the supernatural, featuring: Jocelyn Drake, Kerrelyn Sparks, Kathryn Smith, Melissa Marr, Terri Garey, Jeaniene Frost and an introduction by Kim Harrison. You can call in and chat at (347) 826-9686 or just listen in. Or you can just listen on the web. Send an email to avoncontest@harpercollins.com if have any questions you’d like answered by one of the authors.

~ There will also be Historical Romance Radio, a discussion of all things historical romance. For any questions, send an email to avoncontest@harpercollins.co.

~ More than 100 workshops are being offered on a variety of subjects from leadership development for authors to choosing new clients for publishers.

~ Career-focused romance writers will be networking with fellow writers and have interaction with editors, agents, publishers, booksellers, and other romance publishing industry professionals.

Consider yourself flashed.

Holly’s review of It Had To Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Contemporary romance reissued by Avon 24 Jun 08

This is one of those novels that’s really hard to grade. I absolutely loved it while I was reading it, but once I finished I realized there were a lot of flaws with it. The hero is an ass, the heroine plays dumb and uses her looks to get ahead in the world and the secondary characters are all football players. Oh, wait, that’s actually a point in it’s favor. Mmm, football players. But I digress. The point is, though it’s flawed, it’s still a well written book that grabs your attention and doesn’t let go.

Phoebe is definitely an interesting character. Though we see right from the beginning that she has more depth than she pretends to, it’s still painful at times to watch her stumble along, playing the blonde bimbo. One of the best parts of this novel is when Dan realizes she’s just playing a game, and isn’t really as shallow as she seems. Actually, Phoebe is the best part of this novel, period. It’s wonderful seeing her become strong, standing up for herself, realizing she’s worth more than men give her credit for.

If Phoebe is the best part of the novel, Dan is definitely the worst. He’s the quintessential man, courting a virginal pre-school teacher who he thinks will make good wife material while screwing the blonde bimbo. Plus, he’s convinced woman are either made for making babies and being wives, or having sex with. He doesn’t think women can own/run football teams or anything else. And yet, I didn’t hate him while I was reading. He actually made me all melty inside. It’s not until after I finish the book (each and every time I re-read it) that my inner feminist pokes her head up and says, “WTF? Oh hell no.”

So, let’s recap: I love this book. Love the sissy little dog, the secondary characters, the heroine, the hero, the setting, the plot. Until I finish reading it. Then my inner feminist screams at me and I realize, DUH, this book encompasses everything she hates. But, I love it.

Where does that leave us? With a solid read that obviously engages the emotions, pushes all my buttons and still leaves a good impression.

Grade: B++

The Summary:

The Windy City isn’t quite ready for Phoebe Somerville—the outrageous, curvaceous New York knockout who has just inherited the Chicago Stars football team. And Phoebe is definitely not prepared for the Stars’ head coach Dan Calebow, a sexist jock taskmaster with a one-track mind. Calebow is everything Phoebe abhors. And the sexy new boss is everything Dan despises—a meddling bimbo who doesn’t know a pigskin from a pitcher’s mound.

Read an excerpt here

Book one in the Chicago Stars Series

This just in…

Susan Elizabeth Phillips has announced the re-release of the first book in her Chicago Stars series, It Had To Be You, in trade paperback. You also get your choice of covers if you don’t care for…boobies.

Susan herself asked for this cover design for the mass market paperback version of the book.

“This is the cover I asked them to design, and I love it, although, in retrospect, I guess we should have shown a little less…uh…bounty. Honestly, I didn’t think about the embarrassment factor when I asked for that cover. I only thought how perfectly it represented a story about a woman who had let her life be defined by her powerhouse body,” Susan said.

But if you’d rather have the alternative cover, this cute little guy is waiting just for you on the tradesize cover.

“We know there are lots of readers who won’t pick up what they perceive as a ‘romance paperback’ but will pick up the larger paperback format, and I love finding new readers. We’ve also designed this edition for book club members tired of sloughing through depressing novels (pretend I didn’t say that) and looking for something a bit more fun,” according to Susan.

The new edition includes a bonus article documenting how the Chicago Stars series came to be, some interesting facts about the book, and an entertaining essay written by author Elizabeth Bevarly–”It Had To Be Wonderful — How Doing It Wrong Made History.”

It Had To Be You was named one of the Top 25 Romances of the Century by Amazon.com and continues to be mentioned on nearly every reader list of favorite romances.

Consider yourself flashed.

Sandy M’s review of Natural Born Charmer (Chicago Stars, Book 7) by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Contemporary Romance Audiobook published by HarperAudio on 6 Feb 07

I’m glad I listened to the audio of this book instead of sitting down and reading it. The characters are simply wonderful, so full of depth, and hearing them coming to life was so much better than anything I could have come up with in my head. The humor and the emotion of those characters deserved to be spoken, to be appreciated. In putting this review together, I found out the woman who narrated the book, Anna Fields (her real name was Kate Fleming) has passed away since her perfectly read narration. What a loss for those of us who enjoy audiobooks. She was one of the best.

The humor starts in right away, all at the expense of Blue Bailey, who is down on her luck at this point in time. She’s wearing a beaver suit, carrying her head, trying to earn some money after being dumped by her boyfriend who she moved across the country to be with, and then the most handsomest of men pulls up alongside her and offers her a lift. The ensuing scene between Dean and Blue bantering back and forth as they coast down the road is definitely laugh-out-loud funny. Not knowing Blue’s name initially, Dean calls her “the Beav” throughout their conversation, and it’s all inflection of voice with a little laughter thrown in that makes it one of the best scenes of the book. Blue ends up sticking with Dean on his trip to Tennessee to take a look at some property he owns. There’s attraction right away between them, but they both deny it; Dean only wanting to get in Blue’s pants, needing nothing more, or so he thinks.

Dean is estranged from both his parents, his father is rock ‘n roll star Jack Patriot, who turned his back on Dean before his birth, and his mother is a now-sober ex-groupie of Jack’s. He’s happy without them in his life, but when he gets to his destination he finds it’s been his mother who’s been remodeling his house, something that rockets Dean’s temper sky high, even though April is now a productive citizen and only wants to make up for the years she wasn’t a mother at all to Dean. He’s having none of it. But suddenly he has a houseful of family to deal with. First his mother, and now his eleven-year-old sister has made her way into his life, which also brings his father along, and Dean is not anywhere close to being able to deal with all of them. All he wants is to have Blue to himself to find a way past her irrational behavior — she’s attracted to him but she won’t admit it and he loves a good challenge. Blue doesn’t even realize she’s thrown the gauntlet down to this competitive man who turns her to jelly with just a touch.

Blue has her own family problems. Her mother is one of those people who takes up causes for others while leaving her daughter behind and cleaning out her bank account to pay for the release of a young girl being held by fanatics in another country. Blue has no choice but to tag along with Dean. Even though he never introduces himself as a football star, Blue knows who he is and also knows that anything that develops between them would be a disaster, so she holds him at bay as much as possible. She goes along with his schemes where his family is concerned, but she eventually winds up loving them as much as she loves Dean. She knows, however, he’ll never return her feelings. She’s only a challenge to him and the day is coming when she’ll have to leave him.

I enjoyed the majority of this book. The interactions between Dean and his family, the slow rehashing of their lives and the eventual forgiveness for all of them is well done. However, I don’t think Dean deserved Blue’s forgiveness for his treatment of her when his football buddies and their girlfriends, including one who thinks she’s Dean’s girl, come for a visit. He should have shown more care for Blue’s feelings when he didn’t correct their misconceptions about her place in his life. He’s come to terms with his feelings for Blue by this time, so it just didn’t feel right when he acted as he did. I really liked the scenes with his young sister. She’s a catalyst for the repair of a lot of hurt in their family. The intricacies of these characters’ lives is laid bare for them to come to grips with their mistakes, forgive, and move on with one another as a family should and it’s done with wit, laughter, and raw emotion.

Grade: B+

Summary:

     Chicago Stars quarterback Dean Robillard is the luckiest man in the world. But life in the glory lane has started to pale, and Dean has set off on a trip to figure out what’s gone wrong. When he hits a lonely stretch of Colorado highway, he spies something that will shake up his gilded life in ways he can’t imagine. A young woman . . . dressed in a beaver suit.

     Blue Bailey is on a mission. As for the beaver suit she’s wearing . . . Is it her fault that life keeps throwing her curve balls? Witness the expensive black sports car pulling up next to her on the highway and the Greek god stepping out of it.

     They’re soon heading for his summer home, where their already complicated lives and inconvenient attraction to each other will become entangled with a charismatic but aging rock star; a beautiful, fifty-two-year-old woman trying to make peace with her rock and roll past; an eleven-year-old who desperately needs a family; and a bitter old woman who hates them all.

Listen to an excerpt.

Hey it is almost V Day…. there is a nice article in a paper regarding romance. Some interesting quotes from Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Jayne Ann Krentz and Lisa Plumley

‘Love really does conquer all’

I am not sure I completely agree with SEP on her feelings regarding the word but I think this is a great quote:

“They might call them trashy books to my face once, but they don’t do it twice,” Phillips says. “Very little riles me about things I hear about the genre, but that one does.

“Saying they’re trashy books is basically attacking all the things women hold dear… family, love community… It’s an insult to the millions of women who read romance.”

A few weeks back I went on a Sue glom (like Devon well at least in the case of one sue.). The Sue’s being Suzanne Brockmann and Susan Elizabeth Phillips .

My first Brockmann read was:
Letters to Kelly

Either Way He Was A Condemned Man.So here I sit, writing letters that have no hope of reaching you until I am free to deliver them myself. With luck, that will be soon. For your eighteenth birthday is coming, and I intend to be there, like I promised . . .

For years, a trumped-up charge — and a Central American prison cell — kept Jax Winchester from claiming the girl he loved. Now he was a free man. Or was he?

For only the memory of Kelly O’Brien — and the letters he’d composed to her — had kept him going. But once he was released, he knew he was still a prisoner — in a jail of his own making. The way out this time? Keep that promise he’d made to Kelly all those years ago — and claim her for his own . . .

I am a sucker for this type of story. No clue why… maybe it is because I have always had a thing for older men. And since I have no kids I don’t get that OMG WHAT IF THAT WAS MY DAUGHTER squick. To be honest even if I did have kids I don’t think I would have that squick.

I loved how the story kept going back to his letters to Kelly. It is a touch over the top at times, as most of Brockmann’s Harl’s are in parts. But well worth the read.

I loved it and wanted more do I moved on to:

Tall, Dark and Dangerous
Taylor’s Temptation A-
prolly my fave of the bunch

Night Watch B+
I liked this for the most part but I could never get a handle on how tall Wes was. And omg the swearing was horrid. Really this is an issue in all of them. Harlequin so needs to get over its problem with the word fuck.

The Admiral’s Bride B-
I liked it but really I kept forgetting how old the admiral was.

Get Lucky B-
I loved lucky even though he was a cocky asshole. hmmm might be why I liked him *g*

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear D
Least face book so far… Hawk annoyed me.

Harvard’s Education B+
Great book! Harvard is one of my favorite heroes in the series, hands down. And brockmann does a pretty believable virgin contemp heroine.

Prince Joe C
I think this suffered from expecting it to be great, grand and wonderful. It didn’t leave up to all I had heard about it.

Everyday, Average Jones C
I liked this story and liked the characters. But the whole camping in the tent thing went on far too long. On the reread in 2008 I would have graded this a B could be my fangrrlish love of this series though…

Forever Blue A
love the coming home story in this one…

Frisco’s Kid B-
love the heroine and the hero was such a jerk but a really resourceful one

Identity, Unknown (1999)
I know I have read this but I am totally blanking on it

Over all I really enjoyed the series. They are Harlequin at its best. But I swear there were a few times I wanted to toss the monitor because of the pretendcussing. Really people that can’t read cussing should stay away from romance novels with military heroes or cops. Hell they should go read that Debbie chick.

In between I took a break and read:

Heartthrob

LOVE this book… so feeds into my jackiecollins/judithkrantz loves of yesteryear. Yes it is a hollywood book, yes it does scream 80s glitz and glam. But I loved it anyway. Yes it is over the top in parts but le sigh… it was grand.

Summary

NO WOMAN COULD RESIST HIM . . .Once voted the “Sexiest Man Alive,” Jericho Beaumont had dominated the box office before his fall from grace. Now poised for a comeback, he wants the role of Laramie bad enough to sign an outrageous contract with top producer Kate O’Laughlin-one that gives her the authority to supervise JB’s every move, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

ESPECIALLY THE ONE WITH THE MOST AT STAKE . . .

The last thing Kate wants to do is baby-sit her leading man, and Jericho Beaumont may be more than she can handle. A player in every sense of the word, he is an actor of incredible talent-and a man with a darkly haunted past. Despite her better judgment, Kate’s attraction flares into explosive passion, and she is falling fast. But is she being charmed by the real Jericho or the superstar who dazzles the world?

I have to admit I have a deep lurve for Susan Elizabeth Phillips since figuring out she wrote Glitter Baby. I think it was Holly that said I must read Nobody’s Baby But Mine or was it Dream a Little Dream… hmmm. Anyway she said to start with It Had to Be You cuz I should read them in order.

Oddly enough I did read it first… but I have to say I don’t get it. What is it about SEP? I mean she has cute quirky characters and an interesting voice. But the plots are beyond believable. No matter I still found myself smiling along at times and really enjoyed a couple of them. As I was rolling my eyes and going ‘sure, fine, whatever’.

It Had to Be You C
The bimbo with a brain shows them all….

Nobody’s Baby But Mine B
I really liked Jane and Cal, otherwise I would have hated this story. I mean really a football player who fucked around with groupies forgetting to wear a condom with a chick he thinks is a whore? sssssssuuuuurrrrrreeeee Loved the parents story and the granny. But the standoff at the end takes too long.

Dream a Little Dream C-
just ok

This Heart of Mine A
I would give this an A+ if it wasn’t for Phobe and Dan. I just wanted them to shut up and go away. This was by far my favorite book of the series (although I have one left to read) and I think it is because I don’t expect these to be grounded in reality at all.

The scene here

“I was available?” The air crackled. “Let’s think about this. Let’s think about what this would be called if the situation was reversed?”"I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“What would this situation be called, for example, if I’d decided to crawl in bed with you a nonconsenting female!”

“It’s Her fingers fidgeted with the skirt of her nightgown. “Uh, yes, I see what you mean.”

His eyes narrowed, and his voice grew low and dangerous. “It would be called rape.”

“You’re not seriously trying to say that I I raped you?”

He regarded her coldly. “Yeah, I think I am.”

is completely true… it was rape. It was wrong. But for whatever reason, I still enjoyed the story. That should bother me. And I adored Daphne and Benny

I think I will go on to read Heaven Texas, Match Me If You Can and Natural Born Charmer (in paperback or ebook)but the other books by SEP…. eh don’t really grab me. Anyone have another they would rec?

So that is two more off the list… now if I could just get to Nora Roberts *g*

Publisher Note: The Experiment was previously released elsewhere as a free story. It has been revised and expanded…..

This is a note I have seen on more than a few ebooks lately.

The Bounty, a recent read, was just release by Samhain after being edited and added too. Beth Williamson’s books that follow The Bounty in her Mallory series will follow as well at Samhain. Gypsy Heart by Sasha White, although I don’t think GH was expanded just edited, has been made available again. Is this good?

In the case of The Bounty, I think it rocks because I needed it. But I am not sure why it went out of print… was it because of the want to edit, and LSB wouldn’t do it or because Samhain made a better offer? Or did LSB make it go out of print. Do Epub’s let books go out of print?

Should previously free story be sold later after the author has something of a following? Angela Knight is dusting off some older stories, she use to have a yahoo group she fed with free stories while she was trying to publish (and I believe during her early days of publishing) which was later moved and archived to another yahoo group. Now they will all be gone (sort of), I am not sure if they will all be published or not but it looks like many will.

Out of Print books are the devil, nothing is worse for readers. Really, what is worse than hearing of a GREAT read and then finding out you can’t get it. Or you will have to cut open a vein to get a copy off Ebay. So I am very very pro out of print books going epubished. And hope Moxie Press has good luck (2009 note: they are no more)with bring us some gems (may I suggest Glitter Baby? Oh come now SEP it would be fun! (2009 note:It has been reprinted by Avon AND ::head desk:: edited by SEP) Or those old Lisa Kleypas novels!).

Sasha White is very up front in her newsletter saying if you have a copy of GH, you don’t need to buy a new one. Which I think is awesome, nothing would piss me off more then to pay for a new copy expecting edits and ‘expanded’ story and getting a few more (or less commas).

I have to admit I have the original ecopy of The Switch by Diane Whiteside. The EC copy that was printed with a Marly Chance story. As well as Berkley copy, which was ‘expanded’. Honestly I am not sure I would do that again for a book, it was my OCD at work. That one book could have ended up costing me over $35.

With the cost of books as high as it is, do you buy ‘updated’ or reedited books? Or just stick with the copy you have? Or do you only buy them when you don’t have a copy already or have never read them before. Or are you like me, telling yourself you WON’T buy it, and then the curiosity kills you until you pick it up? Money is tight and there are soooooo many books out there to want, can we add reissues, reprints and re-edited books?

What do you think of ‘re-edited’ works that are still pretty new? Samhain has a book that was published not too long ago and they plan to reissue it with edits. Eloisa James is talking about a new chapter to The Taming the Duke. And said she was try to get them included in the future printing of the book. If not the chapters will go up on her site.

You have to cheer the authors for seeing something lacking in the book and wanting to add, fix or expand to make it better. At the same time I want to bop the editors on the head for not seeing the things that need fixing BEFORE the release.

The only case mentioned above I really see as a brainstorm in ‘how do we make more money from author x’ would be the case of ‘free stories’ going pro. Virgin Seeks Bad-Ass Boy By Ruth D. Kerce, there isn’t even a note that it was a free story, nor is there a disclaimer it has been edited or expanded. Honestly, I don’t think it was. So really, why the fuck sell it?

With Angela Knight, I think it has to do with the fact she is hot, hot, hot right now, and publishers would like to print more books from her. But an author can only write so fast. If they are dusted off, edited and expanded – in some cases with new stories added to anthologies, does that make them worth the cost of buying what is most likely going to be a trade size book?

That leads us to another issue… three books, two I have, Mercenaries by Angela Knight, Really Unusual Bad Boys and Dead and Loving It by MaryJanice Davidson (I don’t have the second one. So really MDJ, feel free to mail me a copy when you mail KarenS her book, along with Mysteria and whatever else you want to send to me. yes yes yes, I am just a nice girl like that. I gots them all) Are all anthologies that include previous ebooks and one new story. And I think they are all trade size novels, is $14 a good price for one new novella and a cover? Or is this just a nice nice for the fans?

And if you have read the books, do you feel there is a difference? Angela Knight seems to have a ‘cleaner’ writing style now vs when she was an unknown eauthor. Same can be said for MJD. Her Ebooks are much ‘hotter’ than the current work. Although I say that having three TBR.

So what do you guys who have read them all think? Can you mesh ‘ebooks’ with a ‘print’ book style? Are you willing, able or wanting to fork cash over for these? And authors, what is your motivation for changing epub housing, re-editing and reissuing books? What steps do you take to make sure your readers know they are out there and that they are ‘new’ again books vs new new. Publishers, why do you want them? And do you want a certain amount of time to pass before taking on a book that has been published before elsewhere? And why do you want old ‘free’ books to sell?