First off, I wanted to congratulate Fresh Fiction on celebrating their anniversary and thank everyone for having me guest blog as part of this momentous occasion! I was thinking about the title Fresh Fiction, and you know, all fiction is basically the same set of stories. But writers make it different based on their voice. And their voice is derived from their world views, morals, backgrounds, work and life experiences. Take a for instance: Three women in a local RWA chapter took off running with an idea–same idea…man/woman left at altar…to face a wedding-less day. That was it. Same old story. But two of those women turned their stories into books that ended up selling to the same publisher! For the readers out there: If you had a chance to create a story that was totally different than you’d ever written, what would it be? Read the rest of Terry’s post and leave a comment just click here… Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.

In the past nine years, I’ve written about Regency spies, politics, family dynamics and fairy-tale heiresses. I’ve written about chimney sweeps, circus performers, pet lions and ruined reputations. What’s left? In my new “Runaway Brides” trilogy, I wanted to explore the meaning of fatherhood. Mine passed away before I turned eight, so this is a lifelong question for me. Fathers remain a strange and elusive species, so I decided to hunt for some among my heroes. What makes a good father? Is it instinct? Having a good example? A parenting book left on the back of the toilet? (with pertinent chapters highlighted, of course) To further explore the parent child relationship click here. Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.

August 18, 2009 Day fifteen of the blog tour TORTURED, erotic medieval, Harlequin Spice, Aug.’09-Amanda McIntyre) See the book trailer at: TORTURED. (Available now, Harlequin Spice, Aug. ’09) “How did you come up with this idea?” This is probably the question I have been asked most since this book was released. It’s a bit darker than normal for me, but it is also a love story, laced with hot scenes, drama, villains, mystery and more. To read more about how Amanda came up with the idea for Tortured and to enter the one day contest click here. Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.

FAKING IT! Raise your hand—who loves designer purses? We all do. They’re gorgeous, glamorous and desirable—and they look like they cost a million bucks. But wait—you see them in discount stores and on street vendors’ tables.  Why? Because many of those hot-looking bags are phony. Ever wonder where those knock-offs come from? And who’s getting rich? And biggest question of all—how they sell obvious knock-offs without taking heat from the authorities? In life and love, how do you tell the real thing? Charlotte McNally #3MiraSeptember 2009On Sale: September 1, 2009Featuring: Charlotte McNally288 pages ISBN: 0778327191EAN: 9780778327196Mass Market PaperbackAmazon Charlie McNally is hot on the trail of knock-off purses in this action-packed mystery. I’ve spent the last thirty years chasing good stories—and I knew this was a great one! As an investigative reporter in Boston, I went in disguise and undercover to explore the world of counterfeit couture—and the behind-the-scenes business of high-fashion fakes. I also learned some of the secret ways you can recognize the real from the rip-off. We talked to investigators specially trained by the designers to scout out what’s real and what’s fake. They have elaborate manuals chock full of trade secrets, revealing the actual number of…

Though I’m a devoted fan of the vampire tale, you wouldn’t know it by how few books I’ve read in the genre. That’s because I’m very picky. I’m looking for a vampire story with certain elements: 1) No whiny vampires 2) No mandatory killing of food, because it puts a serious damper on sexual interaction related to feeding. 3) No holds barred on the eroticism. To learn more about the type of vampire story that Joey W. Hill likes and to comment in the one day contest click here. Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.

I think it’s time to share a deep dark secret about me. I don’t as a general rule keep books, and I don’t re-read. I do have a fairly healthy collection of autographed books, and therefore have developed “keepers”. If I have read that book which is autographed it gets noted in my list of read books, but it doesn’t get re-read. To be truthful I don’t see the appeal of keeping books, and re-reading. I have an embarrassingly large TBR pile because I’m not like many of my friends who can read a book or two a day. Therefore I’m not really in danger of running out of books. Then let us consider the fact that while many authors are retiring, or losing contracts there are still new books being published that yell out read me on a regular basis. Why would I re-read something I’ve read, when there is something new to be discovered. To read more about Sandi Shilhanek’s deep dark secret and for a chance to enter our weekend only contest click here Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.

Some Con Books you should get!: “Why are you going to xxxCon?” Something I get asked each time I tell my book club I’m going to a con soon. And I’ve been going to these “things” for over 10 years. Before that I went to the media ones with my husband and son who loved the Creature cons with guest stars from all their favorite movies and television shows. I’ve been to Barbie Expos too. That’s where collectors of Barbie dolls get together and show off the dolls (some headless the way Gwen kept hers in the early days) and accessories. It’s always amazing to me what to one person is a collectable and to another is trash. The answer used to be simple, I’d go because I wanted to find people who liked the same books I did. Not necessarily to talk to them in depth about the books but to find ones I may have been missing. I’m always afraid there is an author out there and gasp, I’ve missed them! They are probably fantastic and will change my life for EVER and because I didn’t know their titles or name I’m missing out. Don’t other readers feel…

I’ve written eleven novels, and each one has been both joy and challenge. My latest thriller, Trust Me, was no different in that regard. I have found, though, that many readers and new or aspiring authors don’t know about the Five Things that happen once the book is done and on the shelves. These are the time-tested elements that you must brace yourself (and possibly your loved ones and your readers for) when you reach out and pluck down the finished book off the shelf: You will remember some tiny bit of obscure research that you forgot to include. Oh, the hours you spent tracking down the correct serial numbers for a Belgian sniper rifle, or Ivan the Terrible’s underwear size, or the exact farm-to- market road your heroine would drive to reach Blooming Grove, Texas. And scanning over your scene, you realize that the tidbit is NOT THERE. How could this be? It must be the copyeditor struck it out and you didn’t notice. Or maybe you realized you didn’t need said tidbit because it slowed down the story and so like a reasonable person you took it out. But you don’t remember making that edit. Don’t worry. You…

I was going to blog about sex in cars. In my CRAZY and LOOSE books there is a lot of sex in cars. I remember reading an online comment one time where a reader complained about “Geez, her characters are having sex in another car, always with the sex in the cars!” and at the time, I thought it was a topic that needed addressing. But when it came time to blog over here at Fresh Fiction, I thought, well, inevitably, when you get to the end of your blog, the obvious question to spark some comments will be “Have you ever had sex in a car? And what kind of car was it?”It occurred to me at that point that possibly I should change my topic, just in case people were a little shy about sharing those automotive rendezvous with the entire online world. Sooooo, here we go with topic number two – Eight Great Things About Being a Romance Writer. Want to know what the EIGHT GREAT THINGS ABOUT BEING A ROMANCE WRITER ARE? To not only find out, but to also enter Tara’s one day contest click here Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.

Well, it’s been an interesting week. Work on my new David Hunter novel was temporarily suspended for a sudden flurry of publicity. Which makes a welcome break, to be honest, and gets me away from my desk. But I’ve discovered that one of the side effects of writing about a forensic anthropologist – someone who spends much of his working life with the not-so recently dead – is that you do get some unusual requests. Which was how I came to be in an abandoned cemetery at dusk one evening, posing for photographs in the pouring rain for a German newspaper. Want to know more about Simon Beckett’s photo experiences click here Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.