You know the adage; sometimes life is stranger than fiction? Well, I have a little story to share that continues to support this idea. Since early September, I have been working on a contract that takes me to downtown. The drive from my house to my contract is roughly 50 minutes without traffic and closer to an hour and fifteen and sometimes over 90 minutes in traffic. I pass the time with books on CD or books on my iPod. Both are effective entertainment and are helping me whittle down my TBR list (well not really, but I am enjoying some great books this way.) So What Does Harry Dresden Have to Do With It? Want to know why? Click here to read the rest… Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.

October 2009On Sale: October 1, 2009Featuring: Ellie Barnett; Sam Blaine352 pages ISBN: 0758234619EAN: 9780758234612Paperback$14.00 Romance Contemporary Buy at Amazon.com According To Jane by Marilyn Brant It begins one day in sophomore English class, just as Ellie Barnett’s teacher is assigning Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”. From nowhere comes a quiet ‘tsk’ of displeasure. The target: Sam Blaine, the cute bad boy who’s teasing Ellie mercilessly, just as he has since kindergarten. Entirely unbidden, as Jane might say, the author’s ghost has taken up residence in Ellie’s mind, and seems determined to stay there. Jane’s wise and witty advice guides Ellie through the hell of adolescence and beyond, serving as the voice she trusts, usually far more than her own. Years and boyfriends come and go – sometimes a little too quickly, sometimes not nearly fast enough. But Jane’s counsel is constant, and on the subject of Sam, quite insistent. Stay away, Jane demands. He is your Mr. Wickham. Still, everyone has something to learn about love – perhaps even Jane herself. And lately, the voice in Ellie’s head is being drowned out by another, urging her to look beyond everything she thought she knew and seek out her very own,…

A tsunami of monumental proportions is heading toward the book industry, and many of the millions of avid book readers across the country aren’t even aware of it. The “Brave New World” that will emerge after this “disaster” is here already, but its full effect probably won’t be felt for another few years. Maybe as little as five. That’s my prediction, anyhow. What will happen: More and more of your favorite authors will drop off the radar screen. I don’t mean the big names, nor vampires or erotica which are the only fiction selling in huge numbers these days, but a whole lot of others (many of whom would surprise you) won’t be around much longer. To read more about Sandra’s thoughts on changes in the publishing industry and to comment for a chance to win, please click here. Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.

July 2009On Sale: June 25, 2009Featuring: Jane Mansfield; Wes304 pages ISBN: 0525950761EAN: 9780525950769Hardcover$25.95 Romance Historical, Romance Paranormal Buy at Amazon.com Rude Awakenings Of A Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler The eagerly anticipated sequel to Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict Laurie Viera Rigler’s debut novel, Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, was a hit with fans and critics, and a BookSense and Los Angeles Times bestseller. Its open-to-interpretation ending left readers begging for more—and Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict delivers. While Confessions took twenty-first-century free spirit Courtney Stone into the social confines of Jane Austen’s era, Rude Awakenings tells the parallel story of Jane Mansfield, a gentleman’s daughter from Regency England who inexplicably awakens in Courtney’s overly wired and morally confused L.A. life. For Jane, the modern world is not wholly disagreeable. Her apartment may be smaller than a dressing closet, but it is fitted up with lights that burn without candles, machines that wash bodies and clothes, and a glossy rectangle in which tiny people perform scenes from her favorite book, Pride and Prejudice. Granted, if she wants to travel she may have to drive a formidable metal carriage, but she may do so without…

Writing is never easy, but I’ve often said that writing romance is one of the more difficult challenges. Romances aren’t just about emotion. Yes, at the core, it’s a love story, but c’mon… Romance authors also write about things that other authors get a whole book to explore: Who done it, someone’s relationship with God, kick-butt heroines, first crushes, and things that go bump in the night, just to name a few. The themes of a romance can center around betrayal, survival, hate, fear, growth, and redemption. There’s no limit to the ideas romances can incorporate. As an author, I wanted to push myself with my current Doomsday Brethren paranormal romance series. The first book, TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS, incorporated elements like teamwork, belonging, and wondering if blood really is thicker than water. SEDUCE ME IN SHADOW, book 2 , revolved around finding yourself, coming home, tabloid journalism, and recovering from tragedy, just to name a few. Book 3, which releases on Tuesday, is POSSESS ME AT MIDNIGHT. This book teems with class warfare, family loyalty, love triangles, forbidden passion, political strife, and triumph. Future installments will feature sibling rivalry, reunion, marital difficulties, second chances at love, and believing in…

Mr. And Mrs. Darcy MysteriesSeptember 2008On Sale: September 2, 2008Featuring: Fitzwilliam Darcy; Elizabeth Darcy288 pages ISBN: 0765318474EAN: 9780765318473Hardcover$22.95 Mystery HistoricalBuy at Amazon.com The Matters At Mansfield: Or, The Crawford Affair by Carrie Bebris Jane Austen meets Anne Perry in a historical mystery series featuring the hero and heroine from Pride and Prejudice Following the birth of their first child, Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy are looking forward to enjoying life at Pemberley, but family commitments draw them away to Mansfield Park. While there, the Darcys get involved with marriage arrangements, star-crossed lovers, deceit, mistaken identity, and even murder. Once again the Darcys take center stage as the Regency era’s answer to The Thin Man‘s Nick and Nora in this delightful series by the 2007 Daphne du Maurier Award-wining author of North by Northanger. Previous Picks Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.

Since I do not exactly write a regular blog on www.sharonfiffer.com, I probably worry way too much about what I should, can, am expected to, or will-write–when asked to “guest-blog.” This time, however, to circumvent the problem, I have decided not to wax poetic, ruminate, or explore a topic. Instead, as my heroine, Jane Wheel, might do (and does several times in Scary Stuff and all of the other books chronicling her adventures), I will offer you a practical list. How To Enjoy a Writing Conference 1. Attend conferences where readers and writers meet. Don’t overdo conference-going or you will never find time to write, but once a year or every other year, take the plunge. (I just returned from Bouchercon 2009–—a fan-based mystery conference which, this year, was held in Indianapolis) To read the rest of Sharon’s list and to comment please click here. Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.

July 2009On Sale: July 7, 2009Featuring: James Brandon; Marianne Dashwood304 pages ISBN: 0425227790EAN: 9780425227794Paperback$14.00 Romance Historical Buy at Amazon.com Colonel Brandon’s Diary by Amanda Grange A vibrant retelling of Sense and Sensibility, Grange’s sweeping epic breathes new life into another of Austen’s best-loved novels. “Colonel Brandon’s Diary” continues Amanda Grange’s popular series of Jane Austen retellings. At the age of eighteen, James Brandon’s life is set fair. He is in love with his father’s ward, Eliza, and he is looking forward to a lifetime of happiness with her. But his world is shattered when Eliza is forced to marry his brother and James joins the army in despair. Whilst he is in the East Indies, Eliza is badly treated and she seeks consolation outside her marriage, leading to divorce and destitution. Returning to England, Brandon finds her in a debtors’ prison. He rescues her from her terrible position, but she is dying of consumption and he can do nothing but watch and wait. Heartbroken at her death, he takes some consolation from her illegitimate daughter, whom he raises as his ward. But at the age of fifteen, the young Eliza goes missing. Oppressed by the thought of what could have…

Humor is a minefield that writers must tiptoe through with great care, hence the title of this piece. Someone with a warped sense of humor might picture a crazy cartoon character fiddling away while buildings turn to ash and people scatter like ants. On the other hand, I’d see people’s lives being destroyed. Not funny. The bottom line is that humor is subjective. What makes one person laugh might not even get a giggle from someone else. A writer must choose the object of their humor carefully. Refer to above fiddling event. I can imagine some hapless Roman comedian wannabe tossing out a joke about the fire. End of career. When I first decided to write humorous paranormal romances, I thought that I’d have to deliver a belly laugh with each line. I soon learned that not only was that plan unsustainable, but it was also exhausting. Oh, and did I mention boring? For me, a good book must strike a balance between light and dark. I’ll throw in a disclaimer here. This is a personal opinion. I’m sure some readers feel differently about humor, and I respect that. To read the rest of Nna’s blog, and to comment for…

Pride & Prejudice Sequel #2 August 2009On Sale: August 1, 2009Featuring: Mary Bennet368 pages ISBN: 140222429XEAN: 9781402224294Paperback$14.99 Romance Historical Buy at Amazon.com The Plight Of The Darcy Brothers by Marsha Altman A Tale Of The Darcys & The Bingleys In this lively second installment, the Darcys and Bingleys are plunged into married life and its many accompanying challenges presented by family and friends. With Jane and Elizabeth away, Darcy and Bingley take on the daunting task of managing their two-year- old children. Mary Bennet returns from the Continent pregnant by an Italian student promised to the church; Darcy and Elizabeth travel to find the father, and discover previously unknown— and shocking—Darcy relations. By the time Darcy discovers that there’s more than one sibling of questionable birth in the family, the ever-dastardly Wickham arrives on the scene to try to seize the Darcy fortune once and for all. Previous Picks Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.