This week I have been reading Rainwater by Sandra Brown. By Wikipedia’s definition historical romance is anything set before World War II. As I’ve read Rainwater I couldn’t help but feel that I was not reading a historical book, but one that could just as easily happen today. I almost passed on reading Rainwater because of the historical label that it has…I don’t mind historicals, and have in fact read a few in my day, but no longer read them as a part of my regular reading pattern. Had I passed on this title I would have missed a book that I have been enjoying. To read more of WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES A BOOK A HISTORICAL and to leave a comment please click here. Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.

In honor of The Princess and the Frog today, our Saturday Smackdown features two classic princesses that have inspired generations of girls for more than half a century each. Arguably, since both are based on classic fairytales that are centuries older than their animated counterparts, their influence is considerable on classic and modern romantic literature. Fairy Tales The beauty of a fairy tale is the transcendence from everyday life to a magical place or time where happily ever after is not only possible, it is required. As a culture, we love fairy tales; we love the idea of the underdog triumphing, of true love’s first kiss and of love at first sight. We believe in men who will slay dragons to be with the one they love and of men who see beyond the shallow and innocuous to the true beauty that is within. You will find all of these qualities in our two superb fairy tale contenders. However, it is up to you to choose which one is the better. One lucky commentator will win a $10 gift certificate to Amazon next Saturday just in time for that last minute shopping! Click here to read more and see how…

Our book club has an annual Holiday tea. It’s a great time and usually very memorable. Some of our members come to every activity and some come to most and some to just a few a year so the Holiday Tea is when we get to see all our friends. And we have fun. Our monthly teas take place in public establishments but our holiday tea is usually in one of our homes. We’ve toyed with having it in a public place — less stress on the hostess — but it always is better for us to have it in a home. We get noisy and happy. The tea breaks down into four distinct parts: the tea, the checking out of the “goodies” or the door prizes, the book swap, and the White Elephant exchange. When it’s at my house my daughter is in charge of the food. She sets the menu, makes the stuff and does all the fretting. She’s getting very good at this, maybe not as fancy as some but the food is delicious, and no one goes home hungry! My men do all the heavy lifting (and the clean-up which is worth their weight in gold)….

The Daily DoseSmattering of Romance, Paranormal, and General Observations REMEMBERING ASHBY is a tale of love and passion that began as the backstory for the upcoming novel THE FORGOTTEN. As with all stories, it took on a life of its own. Melanie and Adam are very dear to my heart and their love story is one of sweet romance, rich history and tender passion. Today, I want to share this romance with someone you love. You may also enjoy the free short story that follows it and leads to the sequel. Discover Forget to Remember on my website. REMEMBERING ASHBY Peace among the clans has been nonexistent for the past centuries. But now that clan Lairds have decided to summon the God-touched people from their magical Isle to perform the rituals of Beltane to bless the peace talks between the clans, peace is within reach. Melanie is honored to be chosen as one of six maidens to represent the Goddess at this important event. She is meant to be a vessel for the power of the Goddess while forgetting the failures of humanity during the festival. She knows should be concentrating on her part as a Maiden of the Hunt,…

I admit, my latest project probably verges on madness – at the very least it’sa little bit crazy… A couple of weeks ago I launched a website called Coming Home – the start of a new book in mySophie Anderson series. But there’s one key difference…instead of writing this book in the “normal” way, each week you tell me how you want the next chapter to unfold, using different scenarios I put forward. At the end of the short voting period, majority rules and I’ll have six days to write that chapter. Click to continue reading. Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.

Hannah Swensen #12 October 2009On Sale: September 29, 2009 256 pages ISBN: 0758210248EAN: 9780758210241Hardcover$24.00 Mystery Woman Sleuth Buy at Amazon.com Plum Pudding Murder by Joanne Fluke The yuletide season in Lake Eden, Minnesota, guarantees a white Christmas, delectable holiday goodies from Hannah Swensen’s bakery, The Cookie Jar—and murder. As a shadow hangs over her friends’ Christmas wedding, Hannah’s determined to cook a killer’s goose before anyone else gets burned… The Cookie Jar’s busiest time of the year also happens to be the most wonderful time…for Christmas cookies, Hannah’s own special plum pudding—and romance! Holiday orders are high, and Hannah’s slated to provide dessert at the Reverend Knudsen’s upcoming nuptials. She’s busy as can be and loving it. She also gets a kick out of “Lunatic Larry Jaeger’s Crazy Elf Christmas Tree Lot,” a kitschy carnival taking place smack-dab in the middle of the village green. Larry thinks he’s crazy like a fox with his wild business schemes, but this time, the entrepreneur may have bitten off more than he can chew. Rumor has it that Larry’s in the red—an idea that takes a sinister turn when Hannah discovers the man himself dead as a doornail in his own office… It…

November 2009On Sale: October 27, 2009Featuring: Noland272 pages ISBN: 038534113XEAN: 9780385341134Trade Size$14.00 Fiction Buy at Amazon.com The Solemn Lantern Maker by Merlinda Bobis From the award-winning author of Banana Heart Summer—“[a] wonderful debut…[that] resembles Sandra Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street and is destined to be a hit among book club members”*—comes a wondrous tale of hope, secrets, and family devotion. It’s six days until Christmas, and on the bustling streets of Manila a mute ten-year-old boy sells his version of the stars: exquisite lanterns handmade with colorful paper. But everything changes for young Noland when he witnesses an American tourist injured in a drive-by shooting of a journalist and imagines he’s seen an angel falling from the sky. When Noland whisks her to the safety of the hut he shares with his mother, the magical and the real collide: shimmering lanterns and poverty, Christmas carols and loss, dreams of friendship and the global war on terror. While the story of the missing tourist grips the media, Noland and his mother care for their wounded guest, and a dark memory returns. But light sneaks in — and their lives are transformed by the power of love. *Library Journal (starred review,…

The Daily DoseSmattering of Romance, Paranormal, and General Observations Good morning, the weather outside is truly getting frightful as the cold snap seems to be here to stay in the United States. It was 25 degrees Fahrenheit in Texas yesterday morning — brrrrr cold. But we’ve been handing out some hot books to ward off the chill all week and today is no exception. Joining us for today’s giveaway is author Shirin Dubbin. I met Shirin via Twitter over the summer when her book KEEPER OF THE WAY released. The story was delightful and the author even more so. I now count Shirin among my very dearest friends, few others out there really get me and she is definitely one that does. We often joke we’re sisters from another mother. Her giveaway today is a wonderful combination of fae and vamps and weres, oh my! So let’s frolic and play, the paranormal way! All books will be sent via Buy This Ebook For A Friend option on Fictionwise. Check out the great eBooks that Shirin has picked out: Keeper of the Way Aftermath cleaner, Nia Mora, is destined to die–tonight. Severin, the inscrutable and utterly delicious harbinger of death has…

Thank you, Fresh Fiction, for inviting me to write a guest blog! In my new novel,Love in Translation, 33-year-old fledgling singer Celeste Duncan, after receiving a puzzling phone call and a box full of mysterious family heirlooms, is off to Japan to search for a long, lost relative who could hold the key to the identity of the father she never knew. The book is about many things: identity, the meaning of family, and finding one’s own voice, but it’s also about how it feels to be a stranger in a strange land. To read more of BEING A STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND and to comment for a chance to win please click here. Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.

The Daily DoseSmattering of Romance, Paranormal, and General ObservationsPersonally, I’m having so much fun with our Holiday Blog giveaway and today we are featuring author Nikki Duncan and her tremendous SOUNDS TO DIE BY. Nikki is a great writer, a fun friend and definitely someone I enjoy talking to and reading. Give this tremendous e-book to someone you love this holiday season. The best part of the book is it is just the first in the series of her Sensory Ops so there are more hot tales to come. What did I think of Ian and rookie FBI agent Kieralyn? SOUNDS TO DIE BY has a pulsing, rhythmic beat that mixes Boston sensibility with Miami sound machine to create a passionate movement that sustains throughout the novel. SOUNDS TO DIE BY Rookie FBI Agent Kieralyn Beckett is in a delicate position. Her team refuses to buy into her theory that a string of kidnappings is connected. If she pushes too hard, they’ll discover the latest victim was her college roommate and boot her off the case. A garbled recording is the only evidence, and there’s only one man who can decipher it. The hard part will be convincing him to…