Thursday Thirteen #28 -- Girls Night Out report!

Since I focused on my then-upcoming booksigning last week, I thought I'd take today to report back on how it went. Here's the skinny:

1. Thanks to traffic, I was twenty minutes late getting there. Then I spent ten minutes driving around the parking lot trying to find a parking space. Not the best start to the evening!

2. Once in the mall, I went over to the signing tables to find my seat. There was no nametag for me. Again, not auspicious.

3. Once we figured out that Kate Austin was signing at a different bookstore and the tag really should have read Kate Davies, I breathed a little easier. The signage was fixed right away. :)

4. Even as late as I was, I still managed to be the third author who arrived. Evidently, I wasn't the only one with travel issues. (The ferries were a nightmare, from what I understand...)

5. At the start of the evening, I got to sit next to Ann DeFee, a Harlequin American Romance author with a great sense of humor. We spent a good portion of the first hour standing at our table, answering questions about RWA and becoming a published author.

6. Most repeated comment of the evening:

"You wrote that?"

"Yes!" (Big smile)

"Gee, you look too conservative to write something like that!"

Huh?

7. At around 6:30, my seatmate arrived -- Susan Lyons. A fabulous Brava author, Susan and I had fun shocking passersby with our book covers. (We were the "hot" section of the signing.)

8. Jaw-dropping moment: A woman walks by, picking up bookmarks, pens, candy, etc., from each of the authors. Then, as she walks away, she announces loudly, "I'd never read a romance unless there was nothing else available."

9. My best publicist? My mom! She talked up the signing to everyone. Including the woman at the Clinique counter, who rushed over to introduce herself. Way to go, Mom!

10. The hot tamales were a big hit! (If you can't read the label, it says, "...because a little spice is nice!", with my name and web address on it.) I was glad, because staying up until 2 a.m. filling little cellophane bags with candy is a bit of a pain. Ah, the glamorous life of an author...

11. Funniest moment: a woman walks up with a big smile on her face. "I understand you (meaning writers) sometimes come into the schools and give talks." I held up my copy of my book and said, "I don't think I'd bring this into the schools." She said, "Oh, sorry!", blushed, and literally ran away.

12. Our table, left to right: Gerri Russell, Ann DeFee, Susan Lyons, and me. The table on the other side of the signing (sorry, no pic!): Cherry Adair, Pat White, and Elizabeth Boyle. Couldn't make it: Dawn Calvert, my chaptermate and a fabulous author who got sick. :(

13. Best of all -- I sold out! I even signed copies for people I didn't know! :)

It was a great evening and I'm so glad I was able to participate. Thanks to Peninsula RWA and Barnes and Noble for sponsoring a wonderful event!

Book BIN Tuesday -- Two-fer!

There are two great-sounding books coming out this week from Samhain that I'm really looking forward to. Here's the skinny:

DARK WATERS by Gabriella Hewitt

A predator stalks paradise and she’s next.

The ICE Files

On a tropical isle, Frankie Montalvo discovers roots to a past she never knew. Tales of witchcraft, missing girls and el chupacabra surround her, but it will take more than superstitions to scare her away. Determined to create her own home, she enlists the help of an enigmatic beach bum.

She doesn’t want to fall for a drifter who will probably break her heart and move on, but when both she and her home are attacked, it’s in Rico’s arms that she finds safety and protection. All she’s ever wanted was to settle down and live life on her own terms, but someone has other plans and Frankie must decide—is Rico her lover or her enemy?

Special Agent Rico Lopez has been to the depths of hell and back. He returns to his native island of Vieques to forget an ICE mission gone wrong only to find himself caught up in the search for a neighbor’s daughter—a victim of the legendary el chupacabra. Paradise has a predator and all leads point to a dilapidated old plantation and its sexy as sin owner. Lying to Frankie is the only way to do his job, but is he protecting her or himself?

As the net around them tightens and their lives are put on the line, he’ll learn the greatest danger he’s ever faced is the risk of losing his heart.

THE DRAGON OF ANKOLL KEEP by K. S. Augustin

Human for half a month, dragon for the other half…his salvation lies in the hands of a young, broken thief.

Seeking a mythical treasure in a far-off land is, at best, a risky venture. And that’s before Gamsin discovers an enchanted man/dragon thrown into the mix. He extends his hospitality, and generous spirit, to her. But, as Gamsin knows from bitter experience, there is always a price to pay.

Ankoll has been dragon-cursed for five hundred years and is desperate for someone to help him end his enchantment. Where Gamsin sees only hurt and pain, he sees a woman of depth and strength.

In his search for the master sorcerer who punished him in the first place, Ankoll and Gamsin travel to the isolated Twilight Ranges and confront an evil previously banished from the world. Will Gamsin, a broken young woman, be strong enough to give Ankoll the support he desperately needs? And what of the man-dragon who begins to realize that a hated form may be the only salvation for their world?

*****

So there you go. Two intriguing new books, very different, but both on my shopping list! Why not stop by My Bookstore and More and Buy It (them) Now?

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like...

...Christmas in September!

Yes, The Perfect Gift is now available at Amazon.com, My Bookstore and More, and retailers nationwide. (Okay, it might take a while for it to work its way onto the brick and mortar shelves, but trust me, its on its way.)

To celebrate, the Perfect Gift authors (Maya Banks, Stacia Wolf, MacKenzie McKade, Annmarie McKenna, and me) will be hanging out at the Samhain Cafe all day today. We'll have excerpts, holiday recipes, and even a few pressies under the cyber-tree.

Come join us! You might just find The Perfect Gift!

Book BIN Friday! -- Cavemen Edition

As promised, here's my Book BIN for this week. And it's a doozy!

Ellora's Cavemen: Seasons Of Seduction III comes out on the 23rd, and it looks like oodles of fun. Some of my fave authors are taking part in this anthology. I can't wait!

So here's the run-down on the stories in SOS III:

I WAS AN ALIEN’S LOVE SLAVE by Charlene Teglia

Micki Sloane needs a hero and she needs him now. She’s a romance writer with a deadline and writer’s block and no inspiration in sight. Desperation drives her on a tour of Seattle bars, which leaves her no closer to her goal. What to do? Wish on a star.

Keelan Os’tana has been seeking his bondmate, the one woman who is on his wavelength – literally. He receives Micki’s mental call and answers by beaming her up and into adventure beyond her wildest imaginings. Her options? Form the permanent telepathic bond with Keelan or go home and take up writing for the tabloids. “I Was An Alien’s Love Slave” is a sure seller, but Keelan makes it awfully tempting to live the fantasy
instead.

A MAN OF VISION by Kate Willoughby

For Cristoforo, sculpting marble is his life, but the price of creation is a libido that rides him like a demon. When he discovers his sculpting days are numbered, he hires a mistress to satisfy him night and day.

Modern-day courtesan Delphine arrives at his villa prepared for the rigors of being on call 24/7. What she isn’t prepared for, however, is the intensity of her body’s response to Cristoforo. When she learns what is driving him so ruthlessly, she wonders if she can protect her heart…or if it’s already too late.

THE PIRATE AND THE PUSSYCAT by Lacey Alexander

When Leah gets an invitation to a friend’s annual Halloween bash, she has mixed emotions. After all, at last year’s party, she met a man, fell for him hard in just one night, and then … never heard from him again. So this year, she decides to take a new approach. Screw the emotions – she’s going to find a hot guy and do the dirty with him, no intimate strings attached. And besides being a little kinky, doing it with costumes on will make it even less personal.

Arriving at the soiree in her sexy cat costume, she spies a totally hot pirate across the room and knows instantly that he’s the man she’s going to seduce. But can she succeed in her plan? Or will this naughty little kitty end up heartbroken all over again?

PANTHER’S PLEASURE by Cathryn Fox

Sash, chief mechanic of the starship Anthon has spent her entire life coursing through space. She's never gotten sick before. Ever. But as they approach planet Lannar, all kinds of weird and not so wonderful things begin happening to her body, and when she sets eyes on the gorgeous Kade, leader of Lannar, all kinds of weird and very wonderful things begin happening to her libido.

The minute Kade sets eyes on the alpha Earth woman he knows she's his mate. How it's possible that an Earth woman is the mate for a shape shifting panther, he's not sure. All he knows is that there is only one way to help ease the pain in her body and make her first transformation easier. Through mating. And there is only way to mark her as his mate. Through submission.

But will the Earth woman be strong enough to mate with the alpha panther inside him, yet submissive enough to allow him to claim her?

SUNSHINE FOR A VAMPIRE by N.J. Walters

Sunshine DeMarco is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed vampire who just doesn’t fit in with her own people. She doesn’t really like the whole vampire lifestyle—the opulent surroundings and overindulgence in everything from food to drink to blood. But even she has family and social obligations.

While attending a party for a special European dignitary, she finds herself captivated by a tall, dark stranger. One sensual dance between them leads to a passionate tryst in the host’s garden.

Reality intrudes and Sunshine flees, but she hasn’t seen the last of her mystery lover.

Plus, there's a story by Renee Luke as well! (I didn't have a blurb by posting time.)

So there you go. Seasons Of Seduction III. And on Sunday, I think you should Buy It Now!

Thursday Thirteen #37 -- Girls Night Out!

So Friday is Girl's Night Out at the Kitsap Mall in Silverdale, WA. I'm going, and you should go, too! Here are thirteen reasons why...

1. It's a fundraiser for local women's and children's services.
2. You get tons of giveaways and discounts.
3. It's a big party -- 25,000-plus women attend each year.
4. You can show up any time between 5:30 and 10 pm.
5. There's a big multi-author booksigning right near Barnes and Noble.
6. Discounts at Baskin-Robbins! And Cinnabon!
7. Cherry Adair is one of the authors signing at Barnes and Noble!
8. So are Elizabeth Boyle, Dawn Calvert, Lacy Danes, Ann DeFee, Susan Lyons, Gerri Russell, Dominique Sinclair, and Pat White.
9. I'm one of the authors, too!
10. And Suzanne MacPherson, Kate Austin, and Alexa Darin will be signing at Waldenbooks (down the mall).
11. There's going to be a basket raffled off at the signing.
12. I'm bringing candy.
13. It's my first booksigning. I don't want to be lonely!

So stop by. If you tell me you read about it on my blog, I'll have a special giveaway for you!

Well Shiver Me Timbers...

Happy Talk Like A Pirate Day!

Avast! Ahoy! Walk the plank!

(Think I've exhausted my repertoire of pirate phrases...)

Here's a pirate name generator for you

And in honor of the auspicious occasion, I'll put the question out to you --

What's your favorite high seas romance?

Book BIN Tuesday -- Postponed...

No, that's not the title of a fabulous new book.

It's just that due to circumstances beyond my control (long day-job workday, mother in law coming to visit, all day conference tomorrow), I'm just not ready to put up my Book BIN post for today. Besides, the book I'm going to highlight actually comes out this weekend, so it makes sense to post it closer to the release date.

So keep your eye out for a Book BIN Friday. Or Saturday.

Back later!
Kate

Tooth Fairy Trauma

My middle child spent all of Kindergarten waiting to lose a tooth. All those classmates getting to fill in the tooth chart, and for my kid ... nothin'.

Then, the first day of first grade, bingo! Tooth falls out in the middle of school. Which was all well and good until morning the next day came and... the tooth fairy forgot to come.

In, uh, her defense, the little darling put the tooth on the dresser next to the bed instead of under the pillow. And after many, many tears, we managed to convince her that the tooth fairy would come back the next night as long as she put the tooth under the pillow this time.

Except by the time bedtime rolled around that evening, the tooth was -- missing.

Gone. Finito. Disappeared.

More tears. More encouragement. A note was left under the pillow, informing the tooth fairy that the tooth had been lost, but "can you give me money anyway?"

Yes, indeed. Money arrived by morning.

Well, tooth number two fell out tonight. Or should I say in? It disappeared during dinner (homemade pizza with a crunchy crust), so we're assuming it's been swallowed.

I swear, this kid has no luck at all.

But the NEW note, keeping the tooth fairy up to date on all dental issues, should do the trick.

As long as the tooth fairy doesn't forget again. Wish, uh, her luck.

My New Heroes

So school started up in Nova Scotia recently. This is significant why, you ask? Since I don't actually live in Nova Scotia? Well, I read on the 'Net about these two seniors who did something so wonderful it almost brought me to tears.

Seems a young man (9th grader) showed up on the first day of school wearing a pink shirt. Several other students took offense and began harassing him, threatening to beat him up. The two young men in the picture above decided they weren't going to stand by and let that happen. The next day, they showed up at school with 75 pink tank tops for their male classmates to wear in solidarity with the bullied boy. Combined with internet organizing the night before, they estimate that half the student body wore pink that day.

Read the story. It's great. Way to go, Travis and David!

Thursday Thirteen #26 -- Thirteen Things I'm Happy About

Okay, confession time. I've got a monster of a head cold and I can barely remember my own name, let alone come up with a TT topic. So here are thirteen random happy things.

1. Lessons In Love is out! I'm always psyched when I have a new release.

2. I heard Hey There Delilah at least four times today. It's the family's latest favorite -- each of my kids have their own favorite lines, and we all sing along at the top of our lungs.

3. Top Ramen. When I've got a head cold, nothing's better.

4. Lover Unbound is coming out September 25. Woo-hoo!

5. The Perfect Gift is coming out September 25. It's hard to tell which one I'm looking forward to more. :)

6. Fuzzy socks Mom made for me a couple Christmases ago. I love how warm they keep my toes.

7. Girls Night Out is coming up on the 21st. My first official signing! If you're in Northwest Washington, stop by and say hello!

8. Soccer season. I love hot chocolate on cool Saturday mornings, watching the kids charge up and down the field.

9. All my books (except LiL) are now available on Fictionwise! If you buy your e-books there, three of the four are on discount right now as new books.

10. All of my kids are loving school this year.

11. I sold a new book!

12. What, you want more details? Okay, Lessons In Trust is a follow-on book to Lessons In Love. The heroine is Lucia, Alex's sister. It'll be out early next year, and the two will be released in print together near the end of 2008.

13. I actually get to do what I love -- write -- and share it with you all. I'm truly blessed!

What are you happy about this week?