The sight of leaves falling to the ground signals the arrival of fall. With the kids back in school, mothers can breathe a sigh of relief. That is until your son or daughter arrives home in tears with the story of how the school’s bully has ruined his or her life. It’s hard to believe that in this day and age of political correctness, bullying is still an issue. But, the fact of the matter is its real and it leaves deep emotional scars for years to come. This month’s Jen’s Jewels Myla Goldbergtackles this ever timely issue in her latest release THE FALSE FRIEND. It’s the story of a group of childhood girlfriends who are forced to come to terms with past school-aged transgressions. Emotionally gripping as well as painfully true to life, this book deserves a place on the top of your must-read list. As part of this interview, Doubleday Books has generously donated five copies for you, my favorite readers, to try to win. So, make a note to look for the trivia question at the end. You’ll be happy you did! And as always, thanks for making Jen’s Jewels a part of your reading adventure. Jen:…

At the end of August, I headed to Austin for ArmadilloCon. One of the must-see panels for book lovers was the annual “What You Should Have Read” panel, which included reviewers, a bookseller and an editor talking about the year’s must-read books. Editor Anne Sowards of Ace and Roc books mentioned some recent or upcoming books from her list. There’s a new series that Anne said is like the work of Jim Butcher. K.A. Stewart‘s A DEVIL IN THE DETAILS is a fun, quick read about a champion who helps people win their souls back after selling them. The publisher is also re-releasing Patricia Briggs‘s first book, MASQUES, which has been out of print for a while. Then in November, the sequel, WOLFSBANE, will be released. This marks a return to traditional fantasy for Briggs, who is currently known for her urban fantasy. One release that really excited Anne was the recent re-release of one of her childhood favorites, ARIEL, by Steven R. Boyett. Its long-awaited sequel, ELEGY BEACH will be released in paperback in October. She called these “gritty and realistic” apocalyptic fantasies. Martin Wagner of SFReviews.net said there were two essential books this year. One was UNDER HEAVEN…

Stud Club #1 June 2010 On Sale: May 25, 2010 Featuring: Spencer Dumarque; Amelia d’Orsay 400 pages ISBN: 0345518853 EAN: 9780345518859 Mass Market Paperback $7.99 Add to Wish List Romance Historical Buy at Amazon.com One Dance with a Duke by Tessa Dare True temptation begins at midnight… True temptation begins at midnight… A handsome and reclusive horse breeder, Spencer Dumarque, the fourth Duke of Morland, is a member of the exclusive Stud Club, an organization so select it has only ten members — yet membership is attainable to anyone with luck. And Spencer has plenty of it, along with an obsession with a prize horse, a dark secret, and, now, a reputation as the dashing “Duke of Midnight.” Each evening he selects one lady for a breathtaking midnight waltz. But none of the women catch his interest, and nobody ever bests the duke — until Lady Amelia d’Orsay tries her luck. In a moment of desperation, the unconventional beauty claims the duke’s dance and unwittingly steals his heart. When Amelia demands that Spencer forgive her scapegrace brother’s debts, she never imagines that her game of wits and words will lead to breathless passion and a steamy proposal. Still, Spencer is…

I write historical novels that tell the life stories of people who have actually lived, and whose bones are still physically on this earth. My career involves fleshing out those bones and bringing past lives and times back to life for readers of today. Who were these people? What were they like in life? What were their dreams, their aspirations, their stories? I am always aware that in such telling that my path involves extensive use of the imagination. From the first piece of dialogue, I am putting words in the mouths of my characters. I am writing scenes for them that sometimes never happened, sitting them down to dine on meals they never ate, and giving them thoughts that I think they may have had, but I don’t know for sure. Nevertheless, I am a storyteller trying to bring modern readers close to what happened back then and it is my duty to weave my tale with integrity and a care for the known historical facts and the people involved. I strongly believe that any author who is going to write about a person who actually lived, should do their level best to find out everything they can about…