The 2013 Golden Heart and RITA Award Winners

Last Saturday night at the RWA's annual convention, the RITA and Golden Heart awards were presented. I was lucky enough to be one of the many individuals in the audience who witness this special event. Let me just say, the room was filled with so many smart, intelligent, and talented writers that it was awe inspiring. I am glad that I wasn't one of the individuals who had to narrow the field down to just one winner per category, I would have had a hard time choosing. All the nominees were worthy of the honor,and I was glad to see many of my favorite authors were nominated. A few even won a RITA. Yay! 

For those of you who have never been, I would liken the RITAs to to Oscars, complete with golden statues, which in this case hold a book and golden quill. The authors and guests get dolled up in beautiful gowns and evening attire. A little bit of trivia, I was informed by the very talented and award winning, Mary Jo Putney, that four of the RITAs, one of which was hers, were flawed and did not contain a quill in their hands. These lovely golden ladies will eventually be replaced by those which do contain the quills and the recipients will get to keep the flawed ones as conversation pieces. 

   

The night kicked off with the very talented Christie Craig Emceeing the event. Armed with a devilish gleam in her eye, a charming smile on her face, and a warm and lovely southern accent that could melt an icicle on a cold winter's day, she presided over the event. Using her wonderful humor and quick wit she talked of the perils writers face when attempting to get published. Reading some of her own rejection letters and talking about her struggle with dyslexia, which incidentally, resulted in one sentence's whole meaning being altered when she inadvertently left off the letter 'r' in the word shirt. She had us laughing while inspiring and encouraging us to not let such things detour us from our calling as writers. I didn't get a picture of Ms. Craig in her evening attire, I did manage to snag a picture of her at a books signing earlier the day before.

While I tried to get pictures of all the winners, I only managed to get a handful. Many went off in search of a quiet space to call loved ones to let them in on the good news.  I did, however, manage to snag pictures of both the first and last award recipients of the night.

The first and only Golden Heart award winner I was able to find was Miranda Liasson (picture below). Her story,  "Baby on Board--Help!",  (something I could relate to when I was a new mother) won her a Golden Heart for the category Contemporary Series Romance.

If you notice the gold heart shaped necklace Ms. Liasson is sporting, that is the Golden Heart award. Imprinted on that heart charm is the image of the woman the RITA is fashioned after--complete with book and quill. As you can see Miranda's holding the case to the necklace in her right hand and that is how I spotted her among all the other award ceremony attendees. Let me just say the Ritas were much easier to spot than the Golden Hearts. :)

Along with Miranda, the following authors received Golden Heart awards. I should point out that many, if not all, of the Golden Heart nominees are unpublished, but as I managed to meet quite a few, they were happy to inform me that many of their nominated stories have now been picked up by publishers. So while I can't give you a synopsis of the stories nominated, many will be finding their way to bookstores in the near future, quite possibly under different names. Congratulations ladies!

                   Author                                       Story                              Golden Heart Category          

Krista Hall Reynolds                    Broken Places                Romantic Suspense

Jane O'Hanlon                              Objection Overruled       Contemporary Single Title Romance

Joanna Shupe                                Drawn to the Earl           Historical Romance

Amy Jones writing as AE Jones   Mind Sweeper                Paranormal Romance

Darcy Woods                                 Summer of Supernova   Young Adult Romance

Now, of course, the big awards of the evening were the prestigious RITAs. Everyone was waiting patiently in anticipation of finding out who would win. As nominations were read, you'd hear many attendees clapping and displaying their approval and support of the nominations. It was fun seeing whole tables getting excited where nominees were sitting.

Author Sarah Morgan was the evening's first RITA award winner. Unfortunately I could find no picture of her. Her book, "A Night of No Return" (The Private Lives of Public Playboys), won in the category of Short Contemporary Series Romance.

Book Synopsis for 'A Night of No Return':

Money, charm and sensual skills don't make up for a heart colder than ice….

Wild parties, wanton women, relentless work—nothing helps tycoon Lucas Jackson escape his dark and haunting past. Arriving at his rural castle in a snarling snowstorm, he craves only complete isolation.… But it seems oblivion can take an unexpected and highly intoxicating form!

Personally delivering the vital file left on her boss's desk, secretary Emma Gray starts to seriously regret her dutiful overtime mission. She never expected the dark side of the usually controlled Lucas could generate such a primitive, powerful—and entirely inappropriate—reaction.

The Second RITA award of the night went to Karen Templeton for her book, 'A Gift for all Seasons". It won Karen the RITA in the category Long Contemporary Series Romance. Again, I have no picture to share of the author. I should note, however, she also received entry into the RITA Hall of Fame. According to RWA, an author who wins more than one RITA during her career is rare. For those outstanding authors who win multiple RITAs, RWA needed a special way to honor them, so they created the RWA Hall of Fame. Upon receipt of her or his third (formerly the fourth) RITA Award in the same category, an RWA member is inducted into the RWA Hall of Fame for that category. I think I'm going to have to check Ms. Templeton's books out.

Book Synopsis for 'A Gift for All Seasons':

Hiring Patrick Shaughnessy to landscape her new inn was strictly a business arrangement. Until April Ross got to know the war-scarred single father …and his irrepressible little girl. Patrick made it clear he wasn't looking for romance. Neither was April. But could she make him see that some risks were worth taking?

The lively, widowed blonde might be the most tempting woman Patrick had ever known, but the returning vet knew a happy ending wasn't in the cards. Still, that was before April started working her magic on his daughter …and on him. Maybe this Christmas was a time for new beginnings — if Patrick had the courage to go with the powerful feelings April had awakened in him….

The third RITA award recipient of the evening was a newcomer, Simone St. James (great name by the way). Her story 'The Haunting of Maddy Clare' won in 2 categories, hence the two RITAs she is proudly displaying in her picture below. The first, was in the category Novel with Strong Romantic Elements and the second was for Best First Book. This is definitely an author to watch. I can't wait to see what she'll do in the future. Talk about making an entrance in the Romance world, Ms. St. James could give us all pointers. :)

 

Book Synopsis of 'The Haunting of Maddy Clare':

Sarah Piper's lonely, threadbare existence changes when her temporary agency sends her to assist a ghost hunter. Alistair Gellis-rich, handsome, scarred by World War I, and obsessed with ghosts- has been summoned to investigate the spirit of nineteen-year-old maid Maddy Clare, who is haunting the barn where she committed suicide. Since Maddy hated men in life, it is Sarah's task to confront her in death. Soon Sarah is caught up in a deperate struggle. For Maddy's ghost is real, she's angry, and she has powers that defy all reason. Can Sarah and Alistair's assistant, the rough, unsettling Matthew Ryder, discover who Maddy was, where she came from, and what is driving her desire for vengeance-before she destroys them all?

The fourth RITA award winner of the night was Elizabeth Camden. Again I wasn't able to get a picture of her with her RITA, but I was able to find this photo of her on Goodreads:

Book Synopsis of 'Against the Tide':

Love and Lives are Threatened in Camden's Latest Offering

As a child, Lydia Pallas became all too familiar with uncertainty when it came to the future. Now, she's finally carved out a perfect life for herself--a life of stability and order with no changes, surprises, or chaos of any kind. She adores her apartment overlooking the bustling Boston Harbor, and her skill with languages has landed her a secure position as a translator for the U.S. Navy.

However, it is her talent for translation that brings her into contact with Alexander Banebridge, or "Bane," a man who equally attracts and aggravates her. When Bane hires Lydia to translate a seemingly innocuous collection of European documents, she hesitantly agrees, only to discover she is in over her head.

Just as Bane's charm begins to win her over, Lydia learns he is driven by a secret campaign against some of the most dangerous criminals on the East Coast, compelled by his faith and his past. Bane forbids any involvement on Lydia's part, but when the criminals gain the upper hand, it is Lydia on whom he must depend.

The fifth RITA of the evening went to author Laura Griffin. She won for her book 'Scorched' in the category Romantic suspense. This one has been on my to read list since it came out. I need to make time to read it. She was gracious enough to pose for the picture below. 

Book Synopsis for 'Scorched':

Kelsey Quinn set out to trace a murder victim.

Now she may become one.

The dead don’t speak, but Kelsey knows their secrets. As a forensic anthropologist at the Delphi Center crime lab, Kelsey makes it her mission to identify bodies using no more than shards of bone, and her find at a remote Philippines dig hints at a sinister story. When Kelsey’s search for answers puts her at the scene of her ex-fiancé's murder, only one man can help her. The same man who broke her heart just months before, and who is also a prime suspect. Faced with an ultimatum - Kelsey or his job - Gage Brewer did the only thing a Navy SEAL could...but that doesn't mean he stopped wanting Kelsey. Now Kelsey is running for her life and Gage is her last line of defense. As the threats escalate, Kelsey realizes this conspiracy goes deeper and higher than they could have guessed. With the clock ticking down on a madman’s plot, the slightest misstep will have unthinkable consequences....

The sixth and eigth Ritas went to Eloisa James (below on right) and Sarah MacLean (below on left). FYI, we were really close to the stage which were emitting a red glow on the dynamic duo. So that is not the red hot glow of victory you see on Ms. MacLean and Ms. James. Although, who's to say for certain? lol Both were decked out in shimmering evening gowns and looked gorgeous.

Eloisa won for her short story 'Seduced by a Pirate' in the Category Romance Novella. 

Book synopsis for 'Seduced by a Pirate':

Sir Griffin Barry leapt out of the bedchamber window at age seventeen after a very disappointing wedding night, drank a bit too much at the pub and woke to find that he'd joined the crew of a pirate ship! Years later, he has become one of the most feared pirates on the high seas, piloting the Flying Poppy, a ship he named after the wife whom he fondly (if vaguely) remembers.

What happens when a pirate decides to come home to his wife — if she is his wife — given that the marriage was never consummated? And what happens when that pirate strolls through his front door and is met by... well, that's a surprise!

Sara MacLean won for her book, 'A Rogue by any Other Name', in the category Historical Romance.

Book Synopsis of 'A Rogue by any Other Name':

What a scoundrel wants, a scoundrel gets...

A decade ago, the Marquess of Bourne was cast from society with nothing but his title. Now a partner in London’s most exclusive gaming hell, the cold, ruthless Bourne will do whatever it takes to regain his inheritance—including marrying perfect, proper Lady Penelope Marbury.

A broken engagement and years of disappointing courtships have left Penelope with little interest in a quiet, comfortable marriage, and a longing for something more. How lucky that her new husband has access to such unexplored pleasures.

Bourne may be a prince of London’s underworld, but he vows to keep Penelope untouched by its wickedness—a challenge indeed as the lady discovers her own desires, and her willingness to wager anything for them... even her heart.

The seventh RITA award winner of the night was the talented and wonderful Barbara Freethy. She won for her book, 'The Way Back Home', in the category Contemporary Single Title Romance. She proudly displays her Rita below.

Book Synopsis for 'The Way Back Home':

In the small California town of River Rock, the river is always there—sometimes unpredictable and wild, sometimes a source of comfort, always a part of life. Bestselling author Barbara Freethy will capture your heart with an emotional story about love, family . . . and fighting for what matters most. Ex-Marine Gabe Ryder is fulfilling the last request of his best friend, Rob, who was killed in a firefight during their final days of service. He promised to help Rob’s family— especially Rob’s twin sister, Alicia—with their struggling river rafting business. Gabe has a hidden past with Alicia, though. She’s the woman who taught him that love might exist, yet he walked away from her.

Alicia has more than enough on her plate with her brother’s death, her father’s injury from a tragic rafting accident, the entire town turning against them, and a series of dangerous attacks on her business. She doesn’t need this rugged loner who broke her heart. But passion flares between them, and this time, they can’t walk away. Alicia can’t help wondering: did Rob really send Gabe to watch over her—or did he want her to show Gabe the way home?

The Ninth Rita Award of the evening went to Kresley Cole for her book, 'Shadow's Claim', in the category Paranormal Romance. It should be noted she also was inducted into the RITA Hall of Fame. One of her comments as she accepted her RITA was, 'Lothaire will not be happy." *chuckle* Ms. Cole's book 'Lothaire' was up against 'Shadow's Claim' competing for the coveted spot.

Book Synopsis for 'Shadow's Claim':

HE WON’T BE DENIED 

Trehan Daciano, known as the Prince of Shadows, has spent his life serving his people—striking in the night, quietly executing any threat to their realm. The coldly disciplined swordsman has never desired anything for himself—until he beholds Bettina, the sheltered ward of two of the Lore’s most fearsome villains.

SHE’S BOUND TO ANOTHER 

Desperate to earn her guardians’ approval after a life-shattering mistake, young Bettina has no choice but to marry whichever suitor prevails—even though she’s lost her heart to another. Yet one lethal competitor, a mysterious cloaked swordsman, invades her dreams, tempting her with forbidden pleasure.

A BATTLE FOR HER BODY AND SOUL 

Even if Trehan can survive the punishing contests to claim her as his wife, the true battle for Bettina’s heart is yet to come. And unleashing a millennium’s worth of savage need will either frighten his Bride away—or stoke Bettina’s own desires to a fever pitch. . . .

The tenth RITA of the night went to Emily McKay for her book, 'The Farm', in the category Young Adult Romance. I just got my copy and look forward to reading it. 

Book Synopsis for 'The Farm':

Life was different in the Before: before vampires began devouring humans in a swarm across America; before the surviving young people were rounded up and quarantined. These days, we know what those quarantines are—holding pens where human blood is turned into more food for the undead monsters, known as Ticks. Surrounded by electrical fences, most kids try to survive the Farms by turning on each other…

And when trust is a thing of the past, escape is nearly impossible.

Lily and her twin sister Mel have a plan. Though Mel can barely communicate, her autism helps her notice things no one else notices—like the portion of electrical fence that gets turned off every night. Getting across won’t be easy, but as Lily gathers what they need to escape, a familiar face appears out of nowhere, offering to help…

Carter was a schoolmate of Lily’s in the Before. Managing to evade capture until now, he has valuable knowledge of the outside world. But like everyone on the Farm, Carter has his own agenda, and he knows that behind the Ticks is an even more dangerous threat to the human race...

The final award of the night went to the lovely and talented Ms. Mary Jo Putney. She was gracious enough to pose with me for a picture. She won the RWA Nora Robert's Lifetime Achievement Award.   

Mary Jo Putney was born in Upstate New York with a reading addiction, a condition for which there is no known cure. After earning degrees in English Literature and Industrial Design at Syracuse University, she did various forms of design work in California and England before inertia took over in Baltimore, Maryland, where she has lived very comfortably ever since.

While becoming a novelist was her ultimate fantasy, it never occurred to her that writing was an achievable goal until she acquired a computer for other purposes. When the realization hit that a computer was the ultimate writing tool, she charged merrily into her first book with an ignorance that illustrates the adage that fools rush in where angels fear to tread.

Fortune sometimes favors the foolish and her first book sold quickly, thereby changing her life forever, in most ways for the better. (“But why didn't anyone tell me that writing would change the way one reads?”) Like a lemming over a cliff, she gave up her freelance graphic design business to become a full-time writer as soon as possible.

Since 1987, Ms. Putney has published twenty-nine books and counting. Her stories are noted for psychological depth and unusual subject matter such as alcoholism, death and dying, and domestic abuse. She has made all of the national bestseller lists including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USAToday, and Publishers Weekly. Five of her books have been named among the year’s top five romances by The Library Journal. The Spiral Path and Stolen Magic were chosen as one of Top Ten romances of their years by Booklist, published by the American Library Association.

A nine-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America RITA, she has won RITAs for Dancing on the Wind and The Rake and the Reformer and is on the RWA Honor Roll for bestselling authors. She has been awarded two Romantic Times Career Achievement Awards, four NJRW Golden Leaf awards, plus the NJRW career achievement award for historical romance. Though most of her books have been historical, she has also published three contemporary romances. The Marriage Spell will be out in June 2006 in hardcover, and Stolen Magic (written as M. J. Putney) will be released in July 2006.

Ms. Putney says that not least among the blessings of a full-time writing career is that one almost never has to wear pantyhose.

It was a fun and fabulous evening.

To all of those who won, Congratulations!  :)

Special Notes:

Book synopsis' found on Goodreads.

 Mary Jo Putney's biography was found on her website.

Faking It (Losing It, #2) by Cora Carmack

• Title: Faking It (Losing It)
• Classification: New Adult Fiction
• Genre: Contemporary Romance
• Format: Paperback; 352 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (June 4, 2013)
• ISBN-10: 0062273264
• ISBN-13: 978-0062273260

Author's Website: http://coracarmack.blogspot.com/
Notes: Picked up a signed copy at BEA and let me just say, there was a reason why the line was so long. :)

Sometimes the hardest thing in life is letting go...

Mackenzie “Max” Miller has never liked seeing disappoint in her parents' eyes. She hasn't yet figured out how to introduce them to the "real" Max who sports tattoos and colored hair. She's a musician in a band and she's determined to make a career out of  her love for music. They've been helping to support her financially over the last couple of years as she attempts to make a go of her musical career. She's afraid they might cut her off if they got a look at the real her. She knows her parents will never understand as they are ultra conservative and would be horrified that she, in their eyes, branded herself. So when they unexpectedly tell her they're in town and are coming to see her, she ducks for cover, and the nearest cover is that of guy sitting at another table. He's got that "your parents are gonna love me" look to him and that's exactly what she needs. Armed with a killer smile, she locks on to her target and makes her move.

"I'm going to ask you something and its going to seem crazy. (...) My parents showed up in town uninvited, and they want to meed my boyfriend. (...) I know this is crazy, but I would really appreciate  it if you would pretend to be my boyfriend until I manage to get rid of them." 

Cade Winston has just lost his best friend to another man. He'd revealed his true feelings for her a little too late. Unbeknownst to him and everyone else, she'd secretly been dating their teacher and had fallen in love. Now things between them are awkward and seeing her with another guy is painful. When Max approaches him and makes her request, he's both amused and surprisingly attracted to the young woman who isn't anything like Bliss or his usual type. Weighing the pros and cons of spending of Thanksgiving alone or pretending to be Max's boyfriend, he decides it might be fun to masquerade as her boyfriend. After all he is an actor. He just has one simple request in return...

"I'll do it. In exchange for a date."

Sometimes letting go of our past, of our fears, and of our guilt are the hardest things to do, but it's also a part of growing up. Sometimes all you need to get through the rough times is the right person to give you a little push and hold your hand. While they don't know it yet, Max and Cade actually have more in common than they know. The two will end up understanding each other like no on else could.

They say some of the best things in life are those that are unexpected and in this case it couldn't be more true.

  

'Faking It' is the second book of the Losing It series. It begins during the epilogue of 'Losing It'. Cade, Bliss Edward's best friend, had just done the one the that could ruin their friendship. He confessed he had feelings for her other than friendship. The sweet guy who'd written her a song and had sung it for her had been rejected in favor of another. So when I found out that 'Faking It' would contain Cade's story, I couldn't help but squee a little.

One of the hardest things to do in life is to separate ourselves from our parents. To realize we can't please them all the time. To realize at some point we need to be true to ourselves even if it will dash all their wishes for us. We need to let them know who we are and that can be difficult if it's the opposite of what they want. Max has been hiding her true self from her parents for years. In high school, Max tried to be the perfect daughter, but that was never her at all. When she went off to college she finally found herself, but she 'faked' being her parents' ideal image of a daughter when they came around. So in a way Max will blindside her parents if she ever gains the courage to show them her true self. Of course we all know that sometimes you need to just rip the band aid off and let the air circulate to clear things up.

Max is a free spirit and a touch wild. She's a strong individual who tends to become quite the opposite when her parents are around. Because Max doesn't really see Cade as boyfriend material or herself, he gets to see a rare side of Max. One she tends to hide from the world. He sees her vulnerable side and in that revealing glimpse he sees a kindred spirit. He understands what makes her tick. He just gets her.

Cade doesn't have a close knit family and was raised by his grandmother. In many ways he's the polar opposite of Max. He's tried to mold himself into his own ideal image and it shows. Through Max, he'll learn a lot about himself. She'll help him realize he needs to just be himself, and she'll help him question what he really wants instead of what he thinks he should. They say opposites attract and with good reason. Sometimes what we need the most in a partner is the exact opposite of what we are because they're the ones who will challenge us and help us see things in a new way.

Overall, I gave this one 5 for 5 roses. I love Cora Carmack's writing style and adore the way she breathes life into the characters who live within the pages of her books. They give voice to the emotions just about everyone has experienced at one time or another in their life making them easy to relate to. Cora is definitely an author to watch. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one gets a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.

Order of the series:

Cover Reveal and Sneak Peek of Jennifer Ryan's upcoming wonderful new book Chasing Morgan (The Hunted Book 4)

I am delighted to be a part of the cover reveal and sneak peek of a talented new author (her first debuted earlier this year) whom I've had the pleasure of meeting. Check out the above gorgeous cover *sigh* and wonderful excerpt below to get a taste of what this book and author have to offer.

CHASING MORGAN

Chapter One

One year ago…

Morgan’s fingers flew across the laptop keyboard propped on her knees. She took a deep breath, cleared her mind, and looked out past her pink-painted toes propped on the railing and across her yard to the densely wooded area at the edge of her property. Her mind’s eye found her guest winding his way through the trees. She still had time before Jack stepped out of the woods separating her land from his. She couldn’t wait to meet him.

Images, knowings, they just came to her. She’d accepted that part of herself a long time ago. As she got older, she’d learned to use her gift to seek out answers.

She finished her buy and sell orders and switched from her day trading page to check her psychic website and read the questions submitted by customers. She answered several quickly, letting the others settle in her mind until the answers came to her.

One stood out. The innocuous question about getting a job held an eerie vibe.

The familiar strange pulsation came over her. The world disappeared like a door slamming on reality. The images came to her like hammer blows, one right after the other, and she took the onslaught, knowing something important needed to be seen and understood.

An older woman lying in a bed, hooked up to a machine feeding her medication. Frail and ill, she had translucent skin and dark circles marring her pain-filled eyes. Her pain washed over Morgan like a tsunami. 

The woman yelled at someone, her face contorted into something mean and hateful. An unhappy woman – one who’d spent her whole life blaming others and trying to make them as miserable as her.

A pristine white pillow floating down, inciting panic, amplified to terror when it covered the woman’s face, her frail body swallowed by the sheets.

Morgan had an overwhelming feeling of suffocating.

The woman tried desperately to suck in a breath, but couldn’t. Unable to move her lethargic limbs, she lay terrified and helpless under his unyielding hands. Lights flashed on her closed eyelids.

Death came calling.

A man stood next to the bed holding the pillow like a shield. His mouth opened on a contorted, evil, hysterical laugh that rang in her ears and made her skin crawl. She squeezed her eyes closed to blot out his malevolent image and thoughts.

Murderer!

The word rang in her head as the terrifying emotions overtook her.

Morgan threw up a wall in her mind, blocking the onslaught of disturbing pictures and feelings. She took several deep breaths and concentrated on the white roses growing in profusion just below the porch railing. Their sweet fragrance filled the air. With every breath, she centered herself and found her inner calm, pushing out the anger and rage left over from the vision. Her body felt like a lead weight, and lightened as her energy came back. The drowsiness faded with each new breath. She’d be fine in a few minutes.

The man on horseback emerged from the trees, coming toward her home. Her guest had arrived.

Focused on the computer screen, she slowly and meticulously typed her answer to the man who had asked about a job and inadvertently opened himself up to telling her who he really was at the heart.

She replied simply.

You’ll get the job, but you can’t hide from what you did.

You need help. Turn yourself in to the police.

None of her personal information appeared on the website, and she’d put a lot of time and effort into keeping her identity and location a secret for reasons of her own. He’d never find her.

A chill ran over her, despite the warm sun on her skin.

She put through the charge and tried to erase the vision from her mind. She’d told him to go to the police. Nothing more she could do. She didn’t have any proof a crime had been committed. You couldn’t make accusations against people based on a vision. Even if she went to the police with what she knew, they wouldn’t take her seriously. She’d learned that the hard way.

The help she provided Tyler and the FBI was different. Her unique link with Tyler allowed her to assist him with some of his cases. Tyler had nothing to do with this man. She could ask him to investigate, but why would he? He had a hard enough time believing what she told him about the cases he was working on. She didn’t want to have to convince him all over again that what she saw was real and true. It hurt to have to convince him every time, despite the ample proof she’d given him on multiple cases. After all this time, he should believe her - believe in her.

She didn’t want to think about Tyler right now. He’d be in Colorado today. Close. Their connection that much stronger, and the harder he’d ignore it and push her away. Maybe she should give in and go see him.

Why couldn’t he stay in San Francisco?

It wasn’t time for them to meet again. She sighed and tried to put him out of her mind. Not possible. They were connected on an elemental level, and had been for a long time.

Why did things between them have to be so complicated and difficult?

Dealing with her customers was simple. They went to her website and clicked on the link to ask a question. She charged fifteen dollars for requests she answered. If she couldn’t answer the question, or wouldn’t answer, she didn’t charge and sent a standard reply, telling the person she couldn’t help.

Either the person believed in her enough to pay the fifteen dollars, or they didn’t.

Sure, they had to accept her Terms and Conditions. After all, what she “saw“ was open to interpretation and the result may not be what the customer expected. In short, if they didn’t like the answer, they couldn’t shoot the messenger.

She specifically informed customers to beware what they ask, and how they ask it. You may get the answer to a question you hadn’t intended.

If you suspected your spouse of cheating on you, don’t be surprised if she confirmed it, and that the other person is your best friend. She wouldn’t lie, or tell you only what you wanted to hear. 

In a few cases, she simply refused to answer. People often wanted to know when they were going to die and how. Her opinion, this kind of information did more harm than good. It usually altered the course of a person’s life, and she didn’t want to be responsible for changing one’s fate and destiny.

One thing she knew for certain, life had a pattern. Mistakes are repeated until the lesson is learned. Knowing something ahead of time didn’t necessarily mean you could change the outcome. Some things were meant to be and nothing could stop them from ending the same way she saw them, even if the path that led to that end took a detour first. That wasn’t to say the course of the future couldn’t be altered. It could. She’d done it several times. For Tyler’s family, she’d do it again.

Excerpt displayed with permission of Harper Collins and Avon Romance.

Finding Colin Firth by Mia March

Title: Finding Colin Firth: A Novel
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Chick Lit
Publisher: Gallery Books; Original edition (July 9, 2013)
Format: Paperback; 336 Pages
ISBN-10: 1476710201
ISBN-13: 978-1476710204
Author's website: http://www.miamarch.com/
Notes: I received a copy of the book from Simon and Schuster

 22 Years ago, Veronica Russo got pregnant, was disowned by her family, lost her boy friend, and was forced to give up her baby.

1 Year ago, Bea Crane's mother died and she just now received a letter from her mother via an attorney informing her she'd been adopted.

Today, Gemma Hendricks found out she was pregnant and she's having a mid life crisis because of losing her job and not being sure she knows how to be a mother.

Three woman all going through life changing experiences with one thing in common--they all adore Colin Firth. Not because he he is gorgeous, but because he represents hope. Hope for what every woman hopes to find in a man, a partner, a helpmate. To them he represents the epitome of what a man should be--"full of integrity. Conviction. Brimming with intelligence. Loyal. You just believe everything he says with that British accent of his--and can trust it." Most notably among his performances, is the one in which he portrayed Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice.

All three will make their way to Boothbay Harbor for different reasons. All three will be brought together. All three will find their own slice of happiness.

This is a very charming and uplifting tale. I loved Veronica and felt so much sympathy for her. If anyone deserved a happy ending it was her. At age 16 she'd been put through an emotional wringer. Alienated by everyone she knew because of her pregnancy, she was forced to make her own way. Did I mention this happened when she was 16? Over the years she's wondered about the baby she put up for adoption always hoping one day her daughter would come looking for her. Whenever she moved she updated the address on her file just hoping. After countless relationships, she realized she couldn't fully give her heart to another person. The havoc caused when she was younger still haunts her and has had a lasting effect. Thinking perhaps going back to where it all happened might bring her some closure, a year ago she moved back to Boothbay Harbor. There she works as a waitress and is well known for her mood altering pies which some believe work as well as they taste. Veronica, with her pie making brought to mind the image of Keri Russell in the movie waitress. 

Bea Crane isn't sure how she feels about her parents lie by omission. On her own with no living relatives, she's not sure if the startling revelation that she was adopted is a blessing or something else entirely. She's been taken by surprise and soon discovers her birth mother is open to meeting her. Not sure how she feels about the whole situation, she decides to go to Boothbay Harbor to check out her biological parent in secret. Still at a stage where she's having trouble taking all the information in, her curiosity gets the best of her, and she seeks her birth mother out. Having recently graduated from college with no job prospects on the horizon which will utilize her teaching degree, there's nothing holding her back. 

Gemma Hendricks has just learned she is pregnant right before going to Boothbay Harbor for a girls weekend out with her friends. She's not told her husband yet, and is scared beyond belief. She's still processing the unexpected pregnancy and isn't sure what to think about it. She's afraid she's not cut out for motherhood. She knows her husband will be thrilled beyond belief, but she is afraid a life in the suburbs will be in her near future, and she's a city girl through and through. She'd lost her job as a reporter the week before due to layoffs and is feeling a bit overwhelmed and a little like she's loosing her identity. Her hopes and aspirations for being a reporter seem to be slipping through her fingers, and she knows her husband won't understand her concerns or fears. When a friend and former colleague offers her an assignment to write a newspaper article on the fiftieth anniversary of a home in Boothbay Harbor for pregnant teenagers called Hope Home, she's isn't sure she's the right person for the assignment. When her friend says she'll be able to give the article an extra perspective given the fact she's pregnant herself she decides to give the story her all.

Overall I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. A wonderful story about family, friends, love, hard decisions, forgiveness, second chances, and of course hope. A story which shows when given a chance, sometimes people surprise you, and sometimes that perfect someone you've been looking for has been right in front of you hiding in plain sight. You just have to notice them. The fact Colin Firth was making a movie in Boothbay Harbor during the time this story was taking place added the whipped cream and cherry on the top of  the pie.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

Title: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore: A Novel
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux; First Edition edition (October 2, 2012)
Format: Hardback; 304 Pages
ISBN-10: 0374214913
ISBN-13: 978-0374214913
Notes: Library Loan

HELP WANTED 

LATE SHIFT

Specific Requirements

Good Benefits

Clay Jannon is an unemployed designer of marketing materials which explain and promote products. His work for his former employer NewBagel earned him an Award from San Francisco's AIGA chapter (the professional association for design). When the great food-chain contraction swept across America in the early twenty-first century, numerous fast food chains went out of business including NewBagel. He's been been unemployed ever since, and when he saw the help wanted sign in the window of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour bookstore, he decided to inquire about the position.

After a brief interview, the job was his, and so began his employment at the quirky little bookstore. There were only three requirements for the job, they were:

ONE: You must always be here from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. exactly. You must not be late. You cannot leave early.
TWO: You may not browse, read, or otherwise inspect the shelved volumes. Retrieve them for members. That is all.
THREE: You must keep precise records of all transactions. The time. The customer's appearance. His state of mind. How he asks for the book. How he receives it. Does he appear to be injured. Is he wearing a sprig of rosemary on his hat. And so on.

Not long after he started his job, he began noticing there was something odd going on. He realized there were actually two bookstores. One, which resided in the front with your old, but typical books you'd find at a second hand bookstore, and a second store, which resided in the back, that Clay began to think of as the Waybacklist. The Waybacklist had a second set of customers--a small community of people who never were required to pay for the books for they were loaned out to them. When Clay attempted to do a Google search on the books, he realized they couldn't be found. Some looked old and weathered.When his friend, Mat, came into the bookstore one night and opened one of the Waybacklist books, he discovered the pages held long runs of roman type letters in an undifferentiated jumble.Was it a bookclub or something else?  He doesn't know, but he decides to try to puzzle it out. One thing he knows for sure...

Strange things are afoot at Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. 

Clay is a little bit of a geek which is at odds with the fact that in school he was a jock. He's extremely likeable, very smart and extremely resourceful. Not long after starting work at Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore he realizes there's something strange about the people who check out books from the Waybacklist, but hasn't a clue what. It appears that the Waybacklist books are in code, and he and his friends talk about attempting to break that code and discover what the secrets the books are hiding.

Working the night shift with very few customers, Clay decides to use a newly released 3-D graphics engine written in a programming language called Ruby to create a 3-D model of Mr. Penumbra's books store. After getting a decent 3-D model going, Clay decides to take the model one step further and create an animated logbook functionality for the inventory being lent out thereby making it easy to track the books each individual requests from the Waybacklist shelves. As he starts inputting the data, he realizes there's a pattern to all the madness. What is even more shocking, however, is what he finds when even more data is entered. The data reveal something that is by no means an accident and when he finally confronts Mr. Penumbra with his findings, he'll learn of a secret society who is looking to find the secret to immortality. A secret which someone long ago supposedly discovered only to hide it away behind a series of puzzles, tests, and codes. It is thought only the most worthy and skilled will be able to discover the secret and according to Penumbra, no one has been able to do it in hundreds of years. 

This was a rather charming book that was fun to read. The mystery behind the bookshop was intriguing, hooking me right away. I couldn't wait to find out what the big secret was. I liked how we get bits and pieces of clues as the book progresses, yet I didn't piece it together until the big reveal Clay does at the end. Overall I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. It has a fun mystery, delightful characters, and a nice message to boot. If you loved Ready Player One, you'll probably like this one as well. It kind of reminded me of it. I thought the author went a bit overboard with his love of Google and at times it almost seemed to be incorporating an advertisement within the book for them, but otherwise it was a most enjoyable read.  

Notes to keep you in the know:

So I had to look and found that "Aldus Pius Manutius (Bassiano, 1449 – Venice, February 6, 1515),[1] the latinized name of Aldo Manuzio — sometimes called Aldus Manutius, the Elder to distinguish him from his grandson, Aldus Manutius, the Younger — was an Italian humanist who became a printer and publisher when he founded the Aldine Press at Venice.

His publishing legacy includes the distinctions of inventing italic type, establishing the modern use of the semicolon, developing the modern appearance of the comma,[2] and introducing inexpensive books in small formats bound in vellum that were read much like modern paperbacks." (wikipedia)

So I didn't expect to find him (and clearly didn't), but thought it interesting to see what the name Griffo Gerritszoon would turn up. There was a Griffo who worked for Manutius, but he's not our Griffo. "Francesco Griffo (1450–1518), also called Francesco da Bologna, was a fifteenth-century Venetian punchcutter. He worked for Aldus Manutius, designing the printer's more important typefaces, including the first italic type. His romans show a degree of abstraction from calligraphy not present in the work of the earlier master Nicolas Jenson, while his italic and Greek types are notably cursive. Just as Manutius had achieved a monopoly on italic printing and Greek publishing with the permission of the Venetian government, he had a falling-out with Griffo. In 1516, after he returned to Bologna, Griffo was charged with the murder of his son-in-law, who had been beaten to death with an iron bar. This is his last appearance in the historical record." (wikipedia)

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

Title:When She Woke: A Novel
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Dystopia
Publisher: Algonquin Books; Reprint edition (September 18, 2012)
Format: Hardcover; 368 pages
ISBN-10: 1616201932
ISBN-13: 978-1616201937
Notes: Borrowed from the library.

"Hannah Elizabeth Payne, having been found guilty of the crime of murder in the second degree, I hereby sentence you to undergo melachroming by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, to spend thirty days in the Chrome ward of the Crawford State Prison and to remain a Red for a period of sixteen years."

Hannah Payne has been convicted of murder. Her family and friends are shocked. A devoted member of her church, it seemed unfathomable that she could have aborted her own child. Years ago, the world was struck by a pandemic known as the Great Scourge that left the females who contracted a super strain of the clap sterile. As a result, the number of births reached an all time low. Nations around the world started instigating rules to ensure the survival of the human race. During this time in the United States, Roe Vs. Wade was reversed and as a result, having an abortion became a crime. A woman's right to choose no longer existed. Sanctity of Life (SOL) laws were established, and the division between church and state began to crumble as the two started working together to bring about more births. Woman were encouraged and pressured to have children. So aborting one was unthinkable. They were precious.

For her crime, Hannah has been sentenced to a new form of punishment--Melachroming. Melachroming is the process in which a virus is injected into a person which results in the pigment of his or her skin being altered to reflect the desired color. Those who are convicted of misdemeanours are colored yellow, those who convicted of murder are colored red, and those who are convicted of child molestation are colored blue. This stimulated a public type of humiliation as only part of their sentences were spent in incarceration. Once their sentence is complete, the process is reversed. The life expectancy of female Red on the outside is usually much shorter than their sentence. Most don't survive and are killed either by their own hand or the hand of others in a short period of time. Abandoned by family, friends, and the man that she loved, this is Hannah's story of survival.

*****Be forewarned this review contains some spoilers*****

This book won awards and many accolades, but I personally found it somewhat lacking. The author openly admits that the book is a sort of modernized versions of the Scarlet Letter, but that is only part of it. I felt like the author picked bits and pieces of other books and stories she liked and attempted to mesh them all together in this one, and I found it rather distracting. Hannah's escape to a safer place, reminded me of stories of the underground railroad. The discrimination we see as she tries to make her way in society reminded me of what was experienced by black people back when the Jim Crow laws were still in effect, although no such laws existed in the world Ms. Jordan created.  Still, in another part of the book she again openly admits to taking a page from another book--Watership Down. Additionally, at one point, I had to wonder if perhaps the author got a little confused between her character Hannah and Nathaniel Hawthorne's character Hester Prynne. Hannah was convicted of murder whereas Hester was convicted of adultery. Yet for some reason the male characters in the book weren't scared by that fact. If anything it seemed to spur them on to think she was fair game for any and all sexual advances. I just didn't get it. Perhaps the author was trying to show how backwards society had become in regards to woman, but I was a little confused.

While I found the mishmash of ideas a little distracting, my real problem with the book came towards the end where I felt the whole story just sort of fell apart. People are helping Hannah escape to somewhere safe, putting their own lives at risk,  and she has the gall to check her email? She's been told she needs to cut communication with her family and friends and she checks her email? Are you kidding me? Can you say dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb?  If this society can monitor your moves with some nice footage via satellite trackers, I can't imagine they wouldn't monitor a convicted felon's emails especially if she is still serving out a portion of that sentence. All rights to privacy seem to have been forfeited, so I seriously doubt their emails wouldn't be monitored. And if that isn't bad enough, she stops for a quickie with her ex. This after having a lesbian love scene which came completely out of left field. Perhaps she was trying to make up for lost time while she was incarcerated? I don't know.

What I do know is that if I was a lesbian, I think I'd be a little upset at the portrayal of the only legitimate lesbian in the book who by all accounts was quite a smart young woman. One night with Hannah and she loses all perspective of what she's doing, and the woman who is very secretive, resourceful, and trusts practically no one lets her guard totally down, breaking her own rules which were set in place for a reason? Well, she used poor judgement where Hannah's concerned as the woman betrays that trust.  

Overall, I'm giving this one a 1 out of 5 roses. While the beginning of the book was strong, and I thought the melachroming was an original and interesting idea, I didn't bond with the main character and the ending seemed to be created for pure sensationalism. At first I suspected Hannah had been victimized by the man whom she'd had the affair with, but we later find the woman has no shame or regrets for having an affair with a married man. She even at one point claims the affair must have been part of god's plan. Please. She's just a self centered person who puts herself first and foremost. That was reaffirmed throughout the story. When she had the chance to send a message to her father to let him know she was okay, he was the only one who stood by her throughout everything, she chose not to in favor of contacting her married lover. When she could have told someone about the abuse her sister was suffering, she told no one. The fact she recklessly got in touch with her ex so she could have a quickie was beyond selfish. She jeopardized the welfare of many. It left me with a feeling that the main character hadn't learned anything from her whole experience and while the world she lived in was extremely messed up, so was she. The story had potential, but for me it fell short. While I didn't hate the story, I definitely didn't like it either, hence the single rose rating.

Wulfe Untamed Cover Reveal and Sneak Peek

Are you hungry like a wolf for the next Feral Warrior's Novel? If so, here's a little something you can sink your teeth into and devour while you bide your time. Wulfe Untamed is the next book in Pamela Palmer's series and we've got a sneak peek for you provided by the wonderful folks and Avon Romance. I've been told it's Wulfe-ishly good and is something to howl about.

Brief Synopsis:

Wulfe knows the end-game is approaching. The Mage are preparing to free the Daemon plague and Wulfe’s own small strain of Daemon heritage has been awakened. Worse yet, the beautiful human he once rescued needs saving again. Though Mage sentinels are the ones after Natalie Cash, Wulfe knows his heart is what she really should watch out for. He’ll do everything he can to protect her…and keep his distance. Running for her life while trying not to fall for this gentle, wounded warrior, Natalie’s world’s been turned upside down. But when the Mage begin to free the Daemons, it becomes clear that the Ferals’ only chance of defeating them is for Wulfe to use Natalie to harness the dark forces-and risk becoming evil in the process. The future of the world hangs in the balance, but can Wolfe endanger the woman he loves to save her?

Excerpt (keep reading below for second, steamier excerpt!!!):

“It’s me, boy. This might hurt, but I’ve got to staunch your wounds.”

Her fingers pressed gingerly, burrowing through Wolf’s fur, as she sought the site of the stab she’d seen him take to the shoulder. Warm blood coated her fingers and she knew she’d found it. As gently as possible, she pressed one of the shirts against the wound, then started searching for any others.

“Poor guy,” she whispered. “You chose the wrong night to come see me, but you probably saved my life.” She needed to get him to a vet. The beautiful animal made no sound, gave no indication of consciousness. He might be alive, but for how much longer?

Something skittered across the floor downstairs, stopping her heart for another moment. Why hadn’t they followed her upstairs? For that matter, how in the heck had she fallen asleep on the guest bed in the middle of an attack on her house? None of it made a bit of sense. The last thing she remembered was hitting one of the nasties with the lamp and the other one grabbing her. Had he hit her, then? She didn’t hurt anywhere. Somehow, she must have stumbled up here and passed out.

As she probed the dog’s side, she felt more warm blood and knew she’d discovered another wound. If only she could see them. If only she had a flashlight. Or…a camp lantern. Yes. Her camping supplies were stored in the closet in this room. Rising, she dug the lantern out of the bottom of the closet and turned it on only a little, bathing the injured animal in a soft glow.

He had blood everywhere. Her gut cramped. How was she supposed to know how much of the blood was his and how much belonged to the men? They’d been dressed so strangely, like some kind of foreign army, in matching blue tunics. And swords.

She pressed tee shirts against the two wounds she’d found so far, knowing she had to find the others, yet wondering what she was going to do with them if she did. She only had two hands. And no telephone or suturing supplies.

“Hang on, Wolf. Just hang on for me. Sooner or later, they’ll leave and I’ll be able to get you to a vet. What are they doing down there?” She heard something roll across the hardwood foyer. Roll. Suddenly she remembered the way they’d broken down her front door and relief left her on a hard exhale.

“It’s not them, it’s the wind. Of course, of course.” Leaping to her feet, she stroked Wolf’s head. “This is going to hurt, boy, but I have to move you if I’m going to get you help.”

She scooted around to his back end and, as gently as she could, lifted his hips and lowered them again a few inches out from the door. Moving to his head, she did the same, back and forth, a few inches at a time until she nearly had him far enough from the door to open it. Once more should be enough.

Sweat beading on her brow, she took a deep breath, squatted at his tail, and lifted his hips one more time.

Suddenly, her hands were empty, the dog just…gone…exploding in a spray of colored lights.

Natalie fell back, landing on her backside, then stared, jaw dropping, as a man appeared out of thin air…a huge, naked man lying on the floor right where the dog had been.

She crab-walked back, the bed catching her in the shoulder blades. This isn’t happening.

The man groaned and began to stir. Natalie tensed, her heart pounding violently in her chest as she pushed herself to her feet, then sank onto the bed when her legs refused to hold her.

Slowly, the man sat up and leaned back against the door, his muscular body marred by half a dozen stab wounds, one on the shoulder…right where the dog’s had been.

This isn’t happening. Dogs don’t turn into men. They don’t!

But even as the argument roared in her head, her gaze took in the sight in front of her. The man was built, his waist narrow, his abs ripped, his biceps as thick as tree trunks, one adorned with a thick golden armband with what appeared to be the head of a wolf. His shoulders were easily half the width of her sofa. Her gaze continued up, reaching his face, and her heart clenched. Scars crisscrossed the flesh every which way, tugging down one of his lips, cutting across one eye. His body might be prime, but his face was made for nightmares. Within that ruined face, eyelids lifted revealing dark eyes that turned to her, contracting on a sheen of pain, radiating a dismay so raw it almost made her ache.

“I’m not going to hurt you, Natalie.” His voice was low and urgent as he struggled to his feet, grimacing. Towering over her—he had to be a full seven feet tall—he watched her with eyes filled with the same intelligence, the same gentleness she’d seen in Wolf’s. “I would never hurt you.”

She was shaking, her pulse racing, her stomach cramping from shock. But not from fear. Because as she stared into those dark eyes, she saw only truth and honor and kindness. And, odd as it was, she recognized the essence of the dog in the man.

“I would never hurt you,” he said again, his voice throbbing with sincerity and desperation that she believe him.

“I know,” she told him.

And she did.


Second Excerpt (if you prefer some steam on a hot summer day!):

“Harder, Wulfe, harder.”

He ground his hips into hers until sweat slicked their bodies, until they were both grunting and groaning, racing to the top of the highest peak. And beyond. Far, far beyond. As they approached that far-flung precipice, their gazes met, locked, and Natalie smiled as her orgasm began to roll through her, an arrow straight to his heart.

With her body contracting around him, her low, sexy cries filling his ears, he came with a roar, the beauty of the moment, the perfection, beyond words, beyond imagining.

And then she began to laugh, that throaty laugh that shot straight to his groin, as he collapsed, spent, on top of her. Not wanting to crush her, he forced himself to roll, taking her with him, still buried to his balls inside of her. Her golden halo of hair flew around her face as he righted, and she laughed again, then covered his mouth with hers, kissing him as if he’d just given her the world.

His heart swelled until he thought it would burst from his chest.

With his hands tight on her sweet ass, he kept them fused below while their mouths joined above. Goddess, he didn’t want to let her go. He wanted to stay like this, just like this, forever. Or at the very least, for days and days and days.

As one hand gripped her soft, perfect rear, his other slid up and down her slender back, love barreling through him, hard and fast. A golden thread began to weave around his heart, a thread that flowed outward to hers. The beginning of a mating bond.

Please Note: The Sneak Peek Excerpts were provided courtesy of Avon Romance/Harper Collins and used with permission. Thank you Avon Romance. You Rock and so does Ms. Palmer.