Book 2 of the Succubus Diaries (SUCCUBI LIKE IT HOT) launches on Tuesday the 19th, and instead of letting my succubi prowl around their hometown for the next adventure, I sent them on a road trip. Someone asked me the other day, why a road trip? And that made me think for a minute, because…why not a road trip? After all, where else do you have the potential for a fun vacation to go horribly, horribly wrong? Read more of ROAD TRIP …. click here. Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.

Bride #2 January 2010On Sale: December 29, 2009Featuring: Elizabeth Clemmens; Reese Dewar400 pages ISBN: 0778327442EAN: 9780778327448Mass Market Paperback$7.99 Romance Historical Buy at Amazon.com Reese’s Brideby Kat Martin Wounded in battle, Marjor Reese Dewar returns to England — but his damaged leg is nothing compared to his shattered heart… Years before, love-struck Reese departed his home at Briarwood with a promise from raven-haired Elizabeth Clemmens: that she would make a life with him upon his return. But mere months later, she married the Earl of Alderidge, attaining wealth and status Reese could never match. Memories of that betrayal make his homecoming far more bitter than sweet. Elizabeth knows when she appears on Reese’s doorstep dressed in widow’s garb that she is twisting the knife. But fear for her young son’s safety has overcome guilt and shame: she begs Reese for protection against the forces that would see the boy Earl dead to posses his fortune. The former overs forge an uneasy alliance, but Elizabeth still harbors some deep secrets — and Reese know that protecting her mean placing himself in danger… of losing his heart all over again. Eloquently depicts the ramifications bad decisions can have on everyone involved. Excerpt The…

One of the items under the tree for me this Christmas was a bottle cutting kit. If you’re old enough, you might remember this gadget spawned of the early 1970s ecology movement (yep, the same one which eventually morphed into the current “green” trend). The idea was to keep those pesky no-deposit, no-return bottles from cluttering up the landfills. All it took was a spin with a special cutting wheel, followed by quick applications of heat and cold, and then, voila, your useless empty bottle was now a handy drinking glass, or a coaster, or a mini-terrarium. Being a crafty sort, I’d always wanted to give bottle cutting a try. I had visions of creating cool-looking stuff out of all our empty wine bottles and then distributing my eco-friendly designs as presents. And so I was quite pleased when Santa filled this particular item on my list. I now have my kit and a whole box of empty wine bottles to play with (no, we don’t drink THAT much; my husband had the foresight to start collecting the empties well in advance of December). Guess what all y’all are getting for Christmas this coming year! To read more of HOW…

The Nortorious St. Claires January 2010On Sale: January 1, 2010Featuring: Juliet Boyd; Sebastian St. Claire288 pages ISBN: 0373295758EAN: 9780373295753Mass Market Paperback$5.99 Romance Historical Buy at Amazon.com The Rogue’s Disgraced Ladyby Carole Mortimer Society gossip has kept Lady Juliet Boyd out of the public eye since the suspicious death of her husband. Although she’s been persuaded to accept an invitation to a summer house party, all she really wants is a quiet life, free from the attentions of any man. But there she meets the scandalous Sebastian St. Claire, who makes her feel things, want things, need things she’s never experienced before. Starved of affection, Juliet finds his lovemaking irresistible. But does he really want her—or just the truth behind her disgrace? Excerpt I have no idea why you felt it necessary to force me from my bed at the crack of dawn—’ ‘It was eleven o’clock, Gray,’ Sebastian pointed out as he expertly handled the matching greys stepping out lively in front of his curricle. ‘As far as I am concerned, any hour before midday is the crack of dawn,’ Lord Gideon Grayson—Gray to his closest friends—assured him dourly as he huddled down on the seat beside him, the high…

The Daily DoseSmattering of Romance, Paranormal, and General Observations Catherine Spangler gave a presentation at the North Texas RWA chapter meeting this past weekend. I’d seen her book covers, but I’d never actually picked up one of her novels. When I heard she was presenting, I read up on her books. Her TOUCHED BY DARKNESS, TOUCHED BY FIRE and TOUCHED BY LIGHT intrigued me. Fortunately, a friend had all three and loaned them to me. Typically, I don’t read anything while in the midst of writing, but I made an exception to scan the first couple of chapters. I really liked what I had to read. Her writing is intense and fresh with characters that leap off the page. I am already wondering what happened to the characters in the book, so they are sitting on my shelf as a reward for meeting my personal page count. Something of a carrot and a stick: New Authors, New Worlds, New Words Good times are to be had in any new discovery — so check out this fabulous trio of books that has me so intrigued. TOUCHED BY DARKNESSDr. Kara Cantrell settled in the sleepy town of Zorro, Texas, convinced she and…

Hello and thanks for having me on your site to celebrate Getting Lucky hitting the market this month. It’s the final installment in the Lucky Series and tells Julie and Griffin’s story about their journey to true love and happiness. Writing a series has ups and downs, pros and cons, as opposed to writing a single book. One pro to writing a series is research. Basically, the whole series is going to be about the same area and time frame so when the research is done for the first book, it’s pretty well set for the next two. I wrote about the two areas I was most familiar with and even though each book was set in a different town in southern Oklahoma or north central Texas, they were all within spittin’ distance of each other. Close enough that the Luckadeau cousins could visit back and forth for barn dances, cattle sales and family gatherings. To read more of WHY WRITING A SERIES HAS BOTH UPS AND DOWNS and to comment for a chance to win a complete set of the Lucky books please finish the article. Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.

Raised To Be Bladesmen #2 January 2010 On Sale: January 1, 2010 Featuring: Sarah Audley; Robert Hilliard 384 pages ISBN: 0061783463EAN: 9780061783463Mass Market Paperback$6.99 Romance Historical Buy at Amazon.com Wicked, Sinful Nights by Julia Latham Reckless Sir Robert Hilliard has one last chance to remain a member of the League of the Blade, the daring fraternity of elite knights that secretly raised him. A Bladesman has been poisoned, and Robert must uncover enough evidence to hang the murderess. It seems quite simple, really…until he meets the red-haired beauty and falls hopelessly under her spell. He may be handsome, but Sarah Audley quickly discovers that Robert’s no knight in shining armor. He’s out to convict her for murder! Though Sarah vows her innocence, forces beyond her control are gathering against her. Even worse, she cannot deny her own flaming desire for this man who’s so dangerous…and so irresistible. To satisfy their burgeoning passion, Robert may have to sacrifice his only dream. But he’ll gain something even more precious–Sarah’s undying love. Excerpt Chapter 1 Oxfordshire, 1487 She was brazen, for a murderer. From horseback on a nearby hill, Sir Robert Hilliard looked down upon Drayton Hall, where nursemaid Sarah Audley walked hand-in-hand…

Shanna’s Road JournalShanna Swendson’s Observations … On Line and On the Road As much time as I spend at my local library (since it’s two blocks from my house — more convenient than any bookstore — I’m there a lot), I hadn’t thought about library resources online, but I’m finding that online library information goes way beyond the electronic catalog. For instance, I’ve discovered the information for book lovers at the American Library Association’s “I love libraries” site, found at http://www.ilovelibraries.org/. You can find Booklist reviews, lists of notable books, lists of award winners and lists of recommended books. Don’t even click on the “recommended reading” link unless you’ve got plenty of time to kill. There are lists of books for various age groups and topics, such as popular paperbacks that teens will enjoy, books for lifelong learners, books about various cultural groups, and recommended books from certain genres. There’s even a good list of “read alikes” — other books you might like if you like certain bestselling titles. If you know a student who needs to find something to read for a book report, this is a good place to start. These aren’t stuffy “books that are good for…

January 2010On Sale: January 5, 2010Featuring: Isolde Perceval; Osmund336 pages ISBN: 0425230201EAN: 9780425230206Paperback$7.99 Romance Historical Buy at Amazon.com Sexy As Hellby Susan Johnson If his mistress is missing, then who’s the woman in the baron’s bed? When Baron Lenox’s assignation with his mistress goes awry, he finds himself in bed with the wrong lady. The potential scandal leaves him with one option: marry the innocent mystery woman. But Isolde Perceval has no intention of marrying Lenox. In fact, she orchestrated the compromising situation herself-for reasons that are unpredictable, riotously romantic, and sexy as hell. Previous Picks Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.

Happiness is an ambiguous term. How can we truly define what this word means without taking into account all of the various components in our lives? For example, if we are healthy, debt-free, and generally like our jobs, does this mean we have achieved supreme happiness? I don’t know. I would think so, but then again, maybe we are missing the essential core that leads to sheer contentment. This month’s Jen’s Jewels Gretchen Rubin takes this question to task in her latest release called, but of course …THE HAPPINESS PROJECT. Over a year’s time, she implemented her unique plan to track her own level of happiness by using innovative strategies and simple gauges to determine if she was living what Oprah would call “her best life.” Without a doubt, if you are looking for ways to enrich your life, this book is for you! As part of this interview, Harper Collins Publishers has donated five copies for you, my lucky readers, to win. So, don’t forget to look for the trivia question at the end. As you continue on your journey towards health and happiness in 2010, I thank you for making Jen’s Jewels a part of your reading adventure….