Heroines in romance novels: let’s discuss. A frequent topic among romance readers and authors involves heroines and the unequal way they can be viewed. There are two bones of contention to pick. The first is that a heroine’s life choices are viewed with a more critical and unforgiving eye than a hero’s choices. Secondly, that a heroine’s flaws and personality quirks are viewed more harshly than those of a hero. I believe that both things are very real, but I will only admit to unconsciously doing the latter. If a character – whether male or female – makes life choices that I disagree with, as long as the character is fleshed out and well-written, I won’t judge and I’m still able to enjoy the story. However, if there are aspects of a character’s personality that rub me the wrong way, it’s difficult for me to put that aside and focus on where the author is taking me. As a woman, I often identify more with a female protagonist, and therefore have caught myself being overly critical of that character. This is something I’ve picked up on and tried to snap myself out of doing. Every reader has their pet peeve…

My top five favorite workplace romances? The author who immediately comes to mind on workplace romances is Jayne Ann Krentz. Most of her early heroes felt like cowboys in the boardroom. I used to eat up her contemporary romances like they were going out of style. So I’d have to put an oldie but a goodie, Sweet Fortune by Jayne Ann Krentz, on my list. And if she’s there, then I have to also add Susan Elizabeth Phillips and the first in her Chicago Stars books, It Had to Be You, about a woman who inherits a football team yet knows nothing about the sport. The humor and conflict between the hero and heroine are laugh-out-loud funny. And the steam factor is high! On a less contemporary note, I’m a huge Shelly Laurenston fan, and she’s known for writing zany paranormal romances. But one workplace romance that’s stayed with me is Big, Bad Beast, which pits wolf shifter and former Marine sniper Dee-Ann Smith up against Ric Van Holtz, her boss. I laugh and flip page after page whenever I’m reading Shelly Laurenston’s books. Staying in the paranormal lane, I’d have to go with Thea Harrison’s The Elder Races series,…

As I’m about to read SERPENTINE – the latest book in Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series – and dive into a world of vampires, hunters, and wereleopards, it got me thinking about my love of romances featuring animal shifters. I enjoy a good vampire story, but in the age-old debate over blood suckers vs furry warriors – I’m Team Werewolf. I love werewolves, werebears, werehoney badgers, and everything in between. And how amazing are heroes who also happen to turn into dragons? Recently I’ve read a bunch of fabulous new releases with shape shifters of all sorts as main characters – MIDNIGHT WOLF by Jennifer Ashley, HOT AND BADGERED by Shelly Laurenston, ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE AND WOLF by Terry Spear, WICKED AND WILD by Cynthia Eden, and the anthology THE BIG ALPHA IN TOWN with stories by Eve Langais, Millie Taiden, and Kate Baxter. MIDNIGHT WOLF by Jennifer Ashley Shifters Unbound #11 Angus Murray, bouncer for a New Orleans Shifter bar, is sent to round up an elusive, Collar-less Shifter woman, Tamsin Calloway, who is causing trouble for Shifter Bureau, and possesses information they want. If Angus refuses, he risks losing his cub. He finds Tamsin but she’s…

Years ago, I saw a standup comedian on cable wondering how the author of Deliverance, James Dickey, came up with his idea of a male friends’ weekend in the wilds of Georgia. For those who’ve read the book or seen the movie, you know that not everyone on that trip had a pig-squealing good time. In fact, their bro-bonding weekend turned into an absolute nightmare. But how did Dickey get there? It was, as the comedian pointed out, not your everyday way to go when you put a bunch of dudes in a bad situation. Now, at some point over the years, Dickey may have explained his thought process in an interview or at a speaking engagement, but I know nothing about the man. But it doesn’t matter because for every author out there I’m sure there’s a different answer for how authors get from an idea to a fleshed-out book. Some authors get stuff from headlines (which is one I’ve used), some write from personal experiences (my life is way too boring to even consider this as a viable option), some have “muses” (my personal neurosis won’t let me have a muse. It’s too close to a mild form…

Pride #4 November 2009 On Sale: October 27, 2009 Featuring: Lachlan ‘Lock’ MacRyrie; Gwen O’Neill 320 pages ISBN: 0758231660 EAN: 9780758231666 Paperback $14.00  Add to Wish List Romance Paranormal, Romance Erotica Sensual Buy at Amazon.com Books That Are Keepers and We Read over and over The Mane Squeeze by Shelly Laurenston In Shelly Laurenston’s laugh-out-loud funny, deliciously sexy novel, a shape-shifting Grizzly and a single dangerous feline collide—and discover untamed, unstoppable attraction… Growing up on the tough Philly streets, Gwen O’Neill has learned how to fend for herself. But what is she supposed to do with a nice, suburban Jersey boy in the form of a massive Grizzly shifter? Especially one with a rather unhealthy fetish for honey, moose, and…uh…well, her. Yet despite his menacing ursine growl and four-inch claws, Gwen finds Lachlan “Lock” MacRyrie cute and really sweet. He actually watches out for her, protects her, and unlike the rest of her out-of-control family manages not to morbidly embarrass her. Too bad cats don’t believe in forever. At nearly seven feet tall, Lock is used to people responding to him in two ways: screaming and running away. Gwen—half lioness, half tigress, all kick-ass—does neither. She’s sexy beyond belief and…

Pride #6 June 2010 On Sale: June 1, 2010 Featuring: Bo Novikov; Blayne Thorpe 320 pages ISBN: 0758231687 EAN: 9780758231680 Paperback Add to Wish List Romance Erotica Sensual, Romance Paranormal Buy at Amazon.com Fresh Fiction Readers favorite Summer read! Beast Behaving Badly by Shelly Laurenston Ten years after Blayne Thorpe first encountered Bo Novikov, she still can’t get the smooth-talking shifter out of her head. Now he’s shadowing her in New York-all seven-plus feet of him-determined to protect her from stalkers who want to use her in shifter dogfights. Even if he has to drag her off to an isolated Maine town where the only neighbors are other bears almost as crazy as he is… Let sleeping dogs lie. Bo knows it’s good advice, but he can’t leave Blayne be. Blame it on her sweet sexiness — or his hunch that there’s more to this little wolfdog than meets the eye. Blayne has depths he hasn’t yet begun to fathom — much as he’d like to. She may insist Bo’s nothing but a pain in her delectable behind, but polar bears have patience in spades. Soon she’ll realize how good they can be together. And when she does, animal instinct…

This week I’ve had some blocks of time during the work day away from the office. Usually I take my laptop with me, find a place with electricity and WiFi and work, but this week was a bit different. I knew there wouldn’t be WiFi, and each stop would be about 30 minutes or less and I may not have a place to unpack a laptop even a small one, so I decided to do some “work” reading. To me, “work” reading is that stuff I’ve let slide for one reason or another that isn’t “fun” related. Or, non-fiction technical or self-help books. I took along two: HEAD FIRST AJAX: A BRAIN-FRIENDLY GUIDE and TOTALLY TONED ARMS. Opposite poles of the non-fiction spectrum for me. Something all techie and something all probably not going to happen. And to be honest, the TOTALLY TONED ARMS or Get Michelle Obama Arms in 21 Days never made it out of the bag. But I did get through two chapters of AJAX. Not sure if I’ll retain any of the knowledge but at least I tried. And I really regret I didn’t take something more fun to read…like oh, say, Shelly Laurenston‘s Mane series….