Pamela Palmer's Nine rules of dating a Feral Warrior Shifter

To celebrate the launch month of Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake, I've asked some of my favorite authors to share their own Nine Rules here on the blog...

About six months ago, I was in the Avon offices and I made an embarrassing confession--that I'd never read a shapeshifter romance.  Well.  That was not going to be allowed to go on if I was ever going to be able to show my face proudly in those offices again.  I left with my marching orders...read Pamela Palmer's Feral Warriors series. I bought the first, Desire Untamed, on my way home.  I bought the next two the next morning; because I was hooked. Utterly. Completely. Hooked.

Holy Cannoli.  You gotta read these books.

So...I'm so so so thrilled that Pamela was willing to take time out of her crazy schedule of writing more of these books (the next...Rapture Untamed, about Jag, my favorite of the Feral Warriors...is out June 29th.  HAWT cover here!) to join my Nine Rules celebration!

Nine Rules of Dating a Feral Warrior Shifter

1. Don't wear clothes that snag easily on claws

2. Don't wear fur

3. Bring a purse big enough to carry an extra pair of his pants if he has to shift

4. Be prepared for anything

5. Don't be alarmed by the sudden arrival of large predatory animals

6. Be prepared to hold his weapons if he has to shift

7. Don't be alarmed if he starts stabbing the air with his knives -- you can't see the things he's fighting

8. Wear heels – no matter how tall you are, you’re going to feel small

9. Be prepared for the night of your life!

As a FANTASTIC added bonus to her awesome Nine Rules, Pamela has offered one lucky commenter the first three books in the Feral Warriors Series: Desire Untamed (starring hot Lyon), Passion Untamed (perfect Paenther), and Obsession Untamed (yummy Tighe)!

To win, comment below with the animal least likely to be featured as a hero in a shape-shifter romance (I'm looking forward to this one)! Pamela will choose the most unlikely animal and the winner on Monday! (Don't forget to put your email address in the comment!)

And stay tuned for the rest of the month--and a dozen more Authors Rule(s) posts from an awesome range of authors! To read more of Authors Rule(s), please click here!

Kerrelyn Sparks's 9 Perfect Presents for Vampire Sweethearts!

I am SUPER jazzed that  Kerrelyn Sparks has joined me this week to offer up her Nine Perfect Presents to Give Your Vampire Sweetheart as part of my launch month for Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake! Kerrelyn's The Vampire and the Virgin--a continuation of her Love at Stake series--releases this week! Kerrelyn has offered up a signed copy of Forbidden Nights with a Vampire...to win, comment below with your favorite fictional vampire (winner announced on Thursday)!

I should warn you, when I first got this list, I couldn't stop laughing.  It's the perfect example of how hilariously entertaining Kerrelyn's books are...Here we go!

Nine Perfect Presents to Give Your Vampire Sweetheart!

1. A roll of Vampos, the after-dinner mint that gets rid of blood breath.
   
2. A dozen blood-red roses.
   
3. A designer label black tuxedo and cape lined with red satin.
   
4. A king-sized coffin with room for two.
   
5. A flat screen television with a subscription to the Digital Vampire Network.
   
6. A sunlamp so he won’t look quite so pale.
   
7. A year supply of Bleer (synthetic blood mixed with beer).
   
8. A hot dinner date with you as the entrée.
   
9. Sex, sex, and more sex!  A good Vamp can last all night long!

The Vampire and the Virgin releases March 9^th!  Can you guess the perfect present the heroine gives her vampire?   To read an excerpt or enter one of Kerrelyn's own contests, please visit www.kerrelynsparks.com!

And stay tuned for the rest of the month--and a dozen more Authors Rule(s) posts from an awesome range of authors! To read more of Authors Rule(s), please click here!

ETA: Thanks to everyone who entered the contest...and to Kerrelyn for stopping by again!  The winner is Debbie Kelly!

Nine Rules Excerpt!

Harper has released
an excerpt of
Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake

(SQUEE!)

To Browse Inside...
Click the cover!

Jennifer Brown's Nine Rules for Being an Agent of Change

To celebrate the launch month of NINE RULES TO BREAK WHEN ROMANCING A RAKE, I've asked some of my favorite authors to share their own Nine Rules here on the blog...

As regular readers know, one of my very favorite YA Novels of 2009 was the incredible Hate List by the hilarious, wonderful Jennifer Brown. I'm honored that Jennifer was willing to take time to celebrate the launch of Nine Rules with me...with her Nine Rules for Being an Agent of Change. The phrase--used by the principal in Hate List after the tragic events following a school shooting--encourages students to end bullying at the school...something I think we can all get behind.

With that, I turn it over to Jennifer (with the quick addition that Rule #1 is my very favorite lesson from her fabulous book):

1) See what's really there. Not what you "think" someone else is thinking, or what you're "assuming" someone else is like, but what and who is really there. Remember, you are not only your reputation -- why should anyone else be only theirs?

2) Listen to your gut. Deep down, you know if you're saying or doing something that is mean and hurtful. Trust that instinct -- if your actions (or inactions) feel bad to you... take a different route! It's never too late to change.

3) Save your applause for a friendlier show. Bullies love feedback, and the more you giggle, gasp, or stand and stare, the more likely they are to keep up their bullying act. So steal their applause. Just. Walk. Away.

4) Reach out in friendship to someone who needs it. You never know... the kid everyone tears down just might end up being the best friend you ever had.

5) Be the place where gossip goes to die. Bullying isn't just about shoving into lockers or ridiculing in the lunch line. Gossip and rumors hurt just as much as a punch to the ribs. Don't perpetuate rumors. Don't add to the gossip. Don't whisper or send hurtful emails. If you don't spread hurt, maybe it will die.

6) If you're being bullied, find a safe place... and go there! Don't suffer alone. Tell a school counselor or teacher, parent, friend's parent, or other trusted adult, sibling or friend. An adult can help put a stop to the bullying. And you could end up being someone's hero -- the person who prevented what's happening to you from happening to someone else.

7) Be a carpenter, not a demolition crew. You have the power to build someone up or tear them down. Which would you rather be? Those people in #6 need someone to go to. Be that safe place. You can make a real difference in someone's life, which is kind of awesome to think about.

8) Apologize. It's never too late to decide you are so done with making someone miserable. An apology goes a long way, especially if it's followed up with friendship (or at least a truce).

9) Wear an attitude: "Bullying is SO 1980s!" Make it loud and clear that you think bullying is another one of those uncool things your parents did "back in the day," like wearing big, permed hair and stirrup pants and listening to Depeche Mode cassette tapes. You are so much more evolved than that. You are cool; bullying is so boringly old-school!

Jennifer is offering up a v. cool "Agent of Change" bracelet and a signed copy of Hate List for one lucky winner!  To win, please comment below--one entry for each comment, two for telling us about an agent of change in your life.  One winner will be chosen at random on Monday!

ETA: WINNER!  Congrats to Cari! 

To read more of Authors Rule(s), please click here!

Toni Blake's Nine Rules for Visiting Destiny, Ohio!

To celebrate the launch month of NINE RULES TO BREAK WHEN ROMANCING A RAKE, I've asked some of my favorite authors to share their own Nine Rules here on the blog...

I'm so excited to kick off the series with the fabulous Toni Blake, author of seventeen romances including the heartwarming, sexy ONE RECKLESS SUMMER. If you, as I am, are a sucker for homecoming romances--you know the ones I mean...the heroine goes back to her roots and falls for a dreamy local?--ORS is for you!

The book (and it's sequel, SUGAR CREEK, due out in June, Oh! The torment!), is set in a fictional small town called Destiny, Ohio--as much a character as the humans in the book.  Toni's Nine Rules take us to Destiny--and teach us how to navigate this little town.

Nine Rules for Visiting the Quaint Small Town of Destiny, Ohio
by Toni Blake

1. Be sure to stop by the Under the Covers bookstore on the town square and share a cup of coffee with Amy and Tessa. If there’s good girl talk or gossip to be had, this is where it will be going on and you don’t want to miss it. There’s usually a cat-in-residence, too, who will be happy to rub up against your ankles or sit in your lap.
2. Don’t speed in Destiny. Hunky cop, Mike Romo is a stickler about that sort of thing and will give you tickets repeatedly – just ask Rachel Farris.
   
   
   
3. Take a canoe ride across idyllic Blue Valley Lake. Besides being quite scenic, this quaint body of water has seen a lot of Destiny drama over the years, most specifically between good girl Jenny Tolliver and the bad boy of her dreams.
   
   
4. But never, never visit the old Brody cabin in the woods across the lake. It’s SUPER creepy – especially when you think you see lights on even when no one has lived there in years!
   
5. Buy some apples from Edna at the Farris Family Apple Orchard on Sugar Creek and ask her to tell you the story of her tragic first love over a piece of her award-winning apple pie.
   
6. Stay away from Mick Brody! His brother is in prison, after all, and he was always a bad seed. No, it doesn’t matter how hot he is – beware!
   
7. In case of trouble, remember that the Destiny Police and Fire Departments are right next door to each other, just across the square from Under the Covers. And both come complete with lots of sexy men in uniform, which has the potential to make any emergency more enjoyable.
   
8. Hang out at Creekside Park. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to watch hot, sweaty guys playing softball, or you might even be invited into a touch football game with Mike Romo, Logan Whitaker, and Adam Becker – “touch” being the key word here.
   
9. Plan to stay awhile and soak up everything Destiny has to offer, from the quaint garden parties to nights at the Dew Drop Inn, from hot and sexy encounters to deliciously sweet romance.

Number 9 won't be hard at all...and I'm going to prove it to you!

Comment below with your favorite Small Town for a chance to win a copy of One Reckless Summer, the first in the Destiny series--I'll select one random commenter on Friday to win!

To read more of Authors Rule(s), please click here!

ETA: Winner! Thanks to all for commenting...I think its so fun that everyone has a favorite small town (mine is Ashland, NH)! But, sadly, only one person can win! Congrats to Miss Tammy! Everyone else...keep trying all month to win goodies from the other authors who will be stopping by for the 9 Rules celebration!

Felicity Walker on Inside the Character's Studio

I'm very very happy to host Felicity Walker, the star of the truly hilariousRhonda Stapleton's Stupid Cupid, on Inside the Characters Studio!

Felicity Walker believes in true love. That’s why she applies for a gig at the matchmaking company Cupid’s Hollow. But when Felicity gets the job, she learns that she isn’t just a matchmaker…she’s a cupid! (There’s more than one of them, you know.)

Armed with a hot pink, tricked-out PDA infused with the latest in cupid magic (love arrows shot through email), Felicity works to meet her quota of successful matches. But when she bends the rules of cupidity by matching her best friend Maya with three different boys at once, disaster strikes. Felicity needs to come up with a plan to set it all right, pronto, before she gets fired…and before Maya ends up with her heart split in three.

Welcome, Felicity!

What is your favorite word?
Crap.

What is your least favorite word?
Ummmmm, this one's hard. I don't like the word "moist", actually.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
The feeling I get from making a great match.

What turns you off?
The feeling I get from making a wretched match. *sigh*

What is your favorite curse word?
Ass. I'll say it again...AAAAAAAAASSSSS. Man, it feels good. haha

What sound or noise do you love?
I love listening to my friend Maya play the trumpet. She's really good!

What sound or noise do you hate?
I hate the squeaky sound my shoes sometimes makes. Especially when it's just one shoe, so it's all lopsided.

What profession would you like to attempt?
I'd like to be a BETTER cupid than I am...I'm still attempting that one.

What profession would you not like to do?
Anything involving garbage or stinky stuff.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Felicity, thanks for working so hard as a cupid. And for saving those nuns from that burning building. That was extra generous of you.

LOL. That last answer always cracks me up! Thanks for coming over to play, Felicity!

----
Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Nine Books You Should Buy From Not Amazon

So, anyone who follows the publishing industry has heard about the throwdown between Macmillan Publishing and Amazon today.  I think there's a lot of insanity from both sides, but it sounds like it went something like this.

Macmillan: Hey, Amazon, we're not so thrilled that you're price-fixing eBooks for the Kindle.  Since iPad is going to take over the world, uhm...yeah...we're gonna need you to go ahead and up the prices on Macmillan ebooks.  All of them. Also, we're pretty sure that Steve Jobs can kick Jeff Bezos's butt in a cage match.

Amazon: Yeah...no. 

Macmillan: Well, we're at an impasse then.  Because that means we won't let you carry our eBooks. So, there.  

Amazon: Uhm...while we're at it, why don't we make it ALL your books.  Paper ones, too?

Macmillan: Uhm...

Amazon: Tell Steve Jobs it's on. 

Macmillan: Shit. 

Ok...so there's some crazysauce on both sides of this debate.  And I don't really know who was more ridiculous in the discussion, because, frankly, Macmillan shouldn't have been so astoundingly short sighted, and Amazon shouldn't have been such a bully.  BUT...what I do know is this: Authors who publish with Macmillan (or any of the imprints of Macmillan, like Tor, Farrar Straus & Giroux, Holt, and St. Martin's) are pretty well screwed by this news...because for a lot of authors, Amazon accounts for the lion's share of their sales.

So...without further ado...I give you Nine Books You Should Buy From Not Amazon. All of these books are published by Macmillan. And, yes. Some of these authors are my friends...because I want them to be able to eat. I think it's important to stress how INCREDIBLY vast the impact of this kind of major publishing event is--it impacts authors from all genres...as you can see from the list below.

1. Elizabeth Strout's, Olive Kitteridge (Literary Fiction & Winner of the Pulitzer Prize)

2. Lisa Kleypas's, Blue-Eyed Devil (Contemporary Romance)

3. Lisa Mantchev's Eyes Like Stars (YA)

4. Polly Frost's Deep Inside (Erotic Horror) 

5. Liel Leibovitz's Aliya: Three Generations of American-Jewish Immigration to Israel (Nonfiction)

6. Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series (Bestselling Mystery)

7. Natalie Babbit's Tuck Everlasting (Children's & one of my favorite books of all time)

8. Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall (Historical Fiction & Winner of the Booker Prize)

9. Deva Fagan's Fortune's Folly (Middle Grade Fiction)

Really, team?  We can't get it together and reach some kind of agreement?

ETA: There are, of course, thousands of other authors impacted by this insanity.  Visit the Macmillan website to look for more.

9 Books that I Can't Wait to Read

I'm on deadline.

Like, that awful, I-have-to-work-every-waking-minute-between-now-and-two-weeks-from-now-to-make-my-deadline kind of "I'm on deadline."

It's always right about now in the process of writing a book that I get this burning desire to read books.  But I persevere and ignore it...and make a list of all the books that I'm going to read once I turn in my book.  I have them in a pile in my house...and they are my prize.

Here are 9 books I will read the very second I can:

1.  Lisa Kleypas's Tempt me at Twilight - which has been pretty much torturing me since it came out in September.  When I'm working on a book, I always take one romance novel by one of my very favorite authors and set it aside as my "I finished the book!" treat.  This one is it.  And OMG I'm DYING to read it.

2. A.J. Jacobs's The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible - I love nonfiction that follows an author through an insane journey.  This seems like a completely insane journey.

3. Alison Weir's The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn - I will pretty much read anything that Alison Weir writes.  If you like British History, you should do the same.

4. Carrie Ryan's The Dead-Tossed Waves - Carrie is a dear friend, and I've been wanting to read DTW for months.  Finally, I'll be able to!

5. Charles Dickens's Great Expectations - I know. This one is just embarrassing. But, no, I haven't read it.

6. Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love - I appear to be the only female on earth who has not read this book.  It's time.

7. Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking - It seems weird to want to read a cookbook, I know.  But I feel like this one has so many fantastic little nuggets of information...I'm in.

8. Sandra Hill's Viking in Love - Uhm.  Romance novel about Vikings.  Yes, please.

9. Steig Larson's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Because I don't read enough thrillers...and this one has a heckuva title.  And I don't think I've heard of a single person who didn't love it.

Ok, readers.  What did I miss?

9 Rules to Live By - Jane Austen Style

234 years ago, today...Jane Austen was born. It's no secret that my world would be vastly different were it not for Aunt Jane...and so, in honor of her birthday, I give you, 9 Rules to Live By...Jane Austen-Style:

1. A watch is always too fast or too slow. I cannot be dictated to by a watch. - Mansfield Park

2. Give a girl an education and introduce her properly into the world, and ten to one but she has the means of settling well, without further expense to anybody. - Mansfield Park

3. One does not love a place the less for having suffered in it, unless it has been all suffering, nothing but suffering. - Persuasion

4. Selfishness must always be forgiven...because there is no hope of a cure. - Mansfield Park

5. Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. - Pride & Prejudice

6. Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love. - Northanger Abbey

7. Encouragement should be given. - Emma

8. It is such a happiness when good people get together--and they always do. - Emma

9. Know your own happiness. - Sense & Sensibility

Happy birthday, Jane.

Sammy Bojar on Inside the Characters Studio

Here's the thing about being a member of the 2009 Debutantes. There aren't many men on the scene over there (probably because they don't care to be referred to as "debutantes") but those who are, aside from being incredibly secure in their sexuality, are also super DUPER cool. SO...I'm very very happy to host Sammy Bohar, the star of the ineffable Jon Skovron's Struts & Frets, on Inside the Characters Studio!

More than anything, Sammy wants to play guitar in a famous indie rock band. The problem is that his front man is a jerk who can't sing, his bassist is a burn-out who can't remember the songs, and his drummer is just out to lunch. But Sammy needs this band because it's the only good thing he's got going. His father skipped out before he was born, his mother is an overworked therapist with a drinking problem, his grandfather is slowly losing his mind to Alzheimer's, and the girl of his dreams is dating his jerk lead singer.

Now that jerk lead singer has entered them in a Battle of the Bands contest to win free studio time and guaranteed radio play. Sammy has two weeks to get them to sound like a real band, or face public humiliation in front of the entire local indie music scene.

Welcome, Sammy!

What is your favorite word?
Music. it's what I love.

What is your least favorite word?
Hobby. It's what you call music if you aren't good enough to be a real musician.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
When other people express passion for something.

What turns you off?
Posers

What is your favorite curse word?
Fuck. Can I say that? I don't want you to get in trouble or anything...go ahead and put something else in if you have to.

What sound or noise do you love?
My guitar

What sound or noise do you hate?
The sound of Eddie Vedder's voice. Talk about a mega poser.

What profession would you like to attempt?
Rock star.

What profession would you not like to do?
Anything that has to do with math.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

Do you know what would be really awesome? If he said something like, "Dude, I have all your albums! You rock!" How cool would that be?

----
Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Read More Romance - Part II (Contemporary)

Several months back, I made a list of my Top 10 Historical Romance Novels...which was, quite possibly, the hardest thing I've ever done. I set out to make a list of my Top Romance Novels, period, before I realized that I could list 10 novels that I loved set between the years 1812 and 1815 off the top of my head.  So I went with historical.  And promised more lists soon.

Soon, as many of you who are regular readers know, became not so soon.  But I did not forget you!  I swear!  This week, I'm tackling contemporaries.  Not easy.  Because contemporaries fall into so many different categories...there are the Harlequins and Silhouettes that I read voraciously every month after my sister's HQN and Loveswept Book-of-the-month club boxes arrived...and then the big, sweeping single-title contemporaries that make us all sigh...and that doesn't even touch Harlequin Blaze...or the new, hardcover single titles...or romantic suspense!  

Sure, I'm a historical lover.  But, between us?  There's something about curling up with a good contemporary that is awesome.  Gone is your life...your problems...your world...and there is someone else's life...someone who could easily be you.  And there's a man...a pillar of a stud who just might live next door.  Or who might be sitting on a plane next to you the next time you fly somewhere for work.  And that's a powerful fantasy. But the contemporary romance seems to wax and wane...and I hate hate hate the idea of it fading away because people don't appreciate its power.

Which is why I was so happy when Smart Bitches, Trashy Books & Dear Author teamed up to Save the Contemporary earlier this year. And it's why I persevered in FINALLY building this list. Here we go again...in no particular order...my top 9 contemporary romance novels (because now that I have a book with a 9 in the title, I am eschewing lists of 10)!

**Disclaimer. This list was designed for people who are not romance novel readers. At least, not yet. And it's not comprehensive.  This list includes some classics. I like to think that what we're talking about here is a full on list of books that should be included in the canon of romantic literature. Yeah, some of them are old. But you know what? They're awesome.

• Perfect by Judith McNaught - I got a complaint or two that McNaught's Whitney, My Love wasn't on my Historical list.  There are a few reasons why that is--but the most important is this: I think Judith McNaught's contemporary romances blow her historical ones out of the water.  Take Perfect.  If you've ever had that fantasy where a movie star falls in love with plain-old-you?  This is the book for you.  Yes, the plot is crazysauce: Falsely imprisoned movie star escapes and has no choice to kidnap a plain Jane teacher.  They hideout in a cabin in the snow and fall in love. Of course.  Don't judge me.  If you can stay dry-eyed through your first reading of this book, then you're allowed to judge me.  I see you judging me.  
  
  
• Texas! Chase by Sandra Brown - Any list of best contemporary romance novels has to include two things: cowboys and military men. Here's my first nod to cowboys (but, as I'm typing, I realize that there's going to be at least one more).  This one is tough. The hero is SERIOUSLY wounded.  His pregnant wife died in a car accident, and he's roped into marrying the woman who was driving (and who happens to have loved him for her entire life).  IT COULD HAPPEN!  He's kind of an ass to her...until he realizes that ohmigosh he loves her. I know. But, I swear, as a reader, you go with it.  Because you can't help it.  It's just that good.   
  
  
• Midnight Jewels by Jayne Ann Krentz - This was my first Jayne Ann Krentz book...and one of my first single-title contemporaries.  It is still my favorite of all of her books, and I'm not really sure if it's the nostalgia factor or the fact that I'm completely and utterly in love with the hero--and was from the very first second I saw his name.  I mean, who doesn't fall for Croft Falconer? Add to it the fact that the whole story is centered around a rare book, and stop it. I'm sold. This is also as close to romantic suspense as this list will get. 
  
  
• Blue-Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas - It's no secret that I think that Lisa Kleypas writes quite possibly the most perfect historical romance heroes (I'm looking at you, St. Vincent). And I will follow her blindly.  Regency? Victorian New Orleans? Gypsies?  Yes.  But when she went contemporary, I thought, Oh No! But...but...how could these heroes ever compete?  And what is this first person POV? And then I met Hardy Cates and....Oh YES. YES YES! Add to that the fact that the book deals with some really tough issues--spousal abuse--and still delivers a passionate, heart-wrenching lovestory, and...well, yes.
  
  
• Nobody's Baby but Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips - I was woefully late to the SEP party.  That said, I have made up for lost time in an extraordinary way. And, while I haven't completed my tour through her catalog, I've come close...and I feel confident in putting Nobody's Baby but Mine on the list.  Such a fun read. Brilliant physicist goes after hot hot HOT football player thinking he'll be dumb enough to both even out the gene pool and give up those genes without a fight.  Too bad he's clever, funny and smart himself.  When these two go head to head, you won't want it to end.
  
  
• Sweet Liar by Jude Deveraux - As you know from my historical list, Jude Deveraux holds a very special, very important place in my heart as the author of the very first historical romance I ever read--The Black Lyon.  With that, she started a long and rich collection of books about a single family, The Montgomerys, who ultimately merge with the Taggart family.  There are about six centuries worth of Montgomerys and Taggarts in the Deveraux catalog, and when we get to modern day, there's always a risk that heroes living now can't possibly compete with dukes and earls and larger-than-life heroes of then.  And then you meet Michael Taggert, the hero of Sweet Liar, and you forget that there was ever a risk.  Because this book, a brilliant contemporary wrapped up in the history of the St. Valentine's Day-esque massacre, ultimately is one heckuva love story.  If you've never read a book by JD, don't start here...but definitely finish with this one.
  
  
• Frisco's Kid by Suzanne Brockmann - Remember when I said that no contemporary romance list is complete without a Navy SEAL book?  Well, if you're going to read a Navy SEAL book, it ought to be by Suzanne Brockmann.  Because the woman does SEALs like nobody's business. Frisco's Kid is one of her Tall, Dark & Dangerous series, and my personal favorite.  I am a sucker for a wounded hero, who can only be saved by the love of a good woman (who isn't?).  Here, we've got wounded soldier + good woman + 6-year-old niece + the body and mind of a SEAL. Is it getting hot in here? Yum.
  
  
• Warrior by Elizabeth Lowell - Ok...this one makes the list for nostalgia reasons as much as anything else.  This book was originally published as a Silhouette Desire and my friend Lindsay and I passed it back and forth and drooled over the hero--Nevada (wounded warrior and TOTAL Alpha male)--until the cover fell off.  I still have my original copy, Scotch taped together with love.  And the scene in the cabin when they finally FINALLY give into each other?  Knee-watering.  (NB: My version of this book is out of print.  This link takes you to an HQN reprint that includes another book in Lowell's series. That one's worth the read, too!)
  
  
• And while I'm all the way down here on memory lane, discussing those series books that I fell in love with when I was 13, I have to give a slot to Diana Palmer. So... The Long, Tall Texans Series by Diana Palmer - More cowboys.  Yes.  But who doesn't love a good cowboy? Ok.  I'm totally cheating here...because when I was a kid, these books were individual titles.  But now, you can read about Calhoun, Justin and Tyler in one fell swoop. Start with Calhoun--Texas playboy and all-around bad boy.  But, oh. My.
  

Now, like always, I'm questioning the list...what about the newer authors?  The Harlequins I've loved recently?  Uhm...Toni Blake? Kristan Higgins? Jenny Crusie? Forget it. This is too hard. I apologize, in advance, for the books I've missed. It's your turn to tell me what I *have* missed. Did I pick the wrong book from one of these authors?  Or did i blow it by not including some other author altogether?

Comment with omissions, debate (and recommendations, as always)!

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Looking for the earlier list of Historicals?  Here it is!

Paris Pan on Inside the Character's Studio

Give it up for Paris Pan, the star of Cynthea Liu's Paris Pan Takes the Dare, on Inside the Character's Studio!

So what if it is a rite of passage for every seventh grade girl in town to spend a night in the woods? Paris Pan only just moved here, the woods are super creepy, and she has enough weirdness to deal with in her own family. Finding out a girl died mysteriously years ago while on the Dare--right near Paris's new house, no less--is bad enough, but the unmistakably ghostlike noises coming out of the broken-down shed at the edge of the Pan's property? Definite deal breaker.

All Paris wants is to make friends, try to fit in, and not have to deal with a dead girl. But everyone has to take the Dare, and the new girl's turn is up. . . .

Welcome, Paris!

What is your favorite word?
I have so many. But I have to say hallucinations and dementia all have a nice ring to it. Though I hate to believe that I am guilty of having any of this stuff.

What is your least favorite word?
Freak. No one likes to be called a freak.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Give me some Magic Markers and construction paper and watch me create a card you'll cherish for years to come.

What turns you off?
Verona in her basketball uniform. (She always looks like a half-dressed pop star. Heinous!)

What is your favorite curse word?
Holy Cow is about as as far as I go.

What sound or noise do you love?
The sound of Go relieving herself outside so I don't have to hang out in the creepy yard a moment longer.

What sound or noise do you hate?
Eeeeeeeeeeeer. The shed door opening. On its own.

What profession would you like to attempt?
Professional Muppeteer for Sesame Street. But then again, I'm not sure if that would make enough money to satisfy Mom. In which case, doctor will do.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Hellooooo, Paris. You're here because you just won a zillion dollars. No, how about ... Have you check out Cynthea Liu's launch party yet? You're VIP! www.cynthealiu.com

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Blake Hewson on Inside the Characters Studio!

Give it up for Blake Hewson (named for another famous Hewson, I'm told), the star of LK Madigan's Flash Burnout, on Inside the Character's Studio!

Fifteen-year-old Blake has a girlfriend and a friend who's a girl. One of them loves him, the other one needs him.

When he snapped a picture of a street person for his photography homework, Blake never dreamed that the woman in the photo was his friend Marissa's long-lost meth addicted mom.

In a tangle of life, death, and love, Blake will emerge with a more sharply defined snapshot of loyalty.

Welcome, Blake!

What is your favorite word?
Yes.

What is your least favorite word?
Tweaker.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Making people laugh. Trolling around town with my camera. Funny movies.

What turns you off?
Conflict.

What is your favorite curse word?
My mom would kill me if I answered that. Um, how about “bloody”? That’s a British curse word, right?

What sound or noise do you love?
Shannon’s belly laugh.

What sound or noise do you hate?
Cappie’s Love-Gone-Wrong broadcast. She is such a tool.

What profession would you like to attempt?
Stand-up comedian.

What profession would you not like to do?
Medical examiner. Blech. My dad rocks that job, but I would lose my lunch on a daily basis if I had to do it.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Blake, awesome job on the Letterman show. There’s your new BMW, it doesn’t need gas and there are no speed limits here. You go onstage tonight at ten, Robin Williams is opening for you.

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Jane Turner on Inside the Characters Studio!

Ok...as a former barista myself--and one who used to dream of matchmaking the customers who came in (and myself with not a small amount of the attractive men who frequented the cafe), I am thrilled to host Jane Turner, the main character of Kristina Springer's The Espressologist, on Inside the Character's Studio!

The Espressologist is In

Fridays 6-10 p.m.

Come in for a little latte and love.

That's the sign outside of a local Chicago Wired Joe's every Friday night when jerky boss Derek Peters finds out about 17-year old barista and high school senior Jane Turner's unique talent to match couples based on their favorite coffee drink (which she calls Espressology). He decides to capitalize on it-turning Jane into the holiday promotion for the month of December. She's never been wrong, sales are through the roof, and the line of people each Espressology night wraps the block. But can it be too much of a good thing? During an interview with a talk show at the height of Jane's fame, she is faced with a dilemma, lose her love or lose her credibility? Or possibly lose it all, including her best friend.

Welcome, Jane!

What is your least favorite word?
Love

What is your least favorite word?
Melissa

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Will!

What turns you off?
My boss yelling at me.

What is your favorite curse word?
I don't really swear. But I say freakin' a lot!

What sound or noise do you love?
Friends laughing.

What sound or noise do you hate?
Customers yelling at me.

What profession would you like to attempt?
Fashion Designer

What profession would you not like to do?
Butcher. Ick.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Start the party!

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Roz Peterson on Inside the Character's Studio

Give it up for Roz Peterson, the star of Lauren Bjorkman's My Invented Life, on Inside the Character's Studio!

Roz and Eva are sisters, close friends, and fierce rivals. Roz fantasizes about snagging the lead in the school play and sexy skate god Bryan as her boyfriend. Sadly a few obstacles stand between her and her dreams. For one, Eva is the more talented actress. And Bryan happens to be Eva’s boyfriend. But is Eva having a secret love affair with a girl? Enquiring minds need to know.

Roz prides herself on random acts of insanity. In one such act, she invents a girlfriend of her own to encourage Eva to open up. The plan backfires, and Roz finds herself neck deep in her invented life. When Roz meets a mercurial boy with a big problem, she begins to understand the complex feelings beneath the labels. And she gets a second chance to earn Eva’s trust.

My Invented Life is set in a small California high school during rehearsals for a Shakespeare comedy.

Welcome, Roz!

What is your favorite word?
clotpole

What is your least favorite word?
ex-boyfriend

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
When I'm up on stage, my wings unfurl and I can fly.

What turns you off?
unrehearsed death scenes

What is your favorite curse word?
dankish puttock

What sound or noise do you love?
applause, mingled with stomps, and hoots of approval

What sound or noise do you hate?
the sound of my nails being chewed to the nubs.

What profession would you like to attempt?
professional acting (for obvious reasons, and not just to meet the hotties)

What profession would you not like to do?
accountant (for even more obvious reasons, though I bet there are a few cute accountants, too)

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Shakespeare is dying to meet you.

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

What do Goethe, Dostoyevsky & Austen have in common?

At first glance, not much...but when you see what the Pawling Book Cove has scheduled for the afternoon of November 14th in Pawling, New York, it all becomes awesomely clear!

I'm super excited to announce that I'll be signing with the hilariously awesome Michael Northrop and the incredibly talented Dina & Daniel Nayeri at that very place at that very time! I will say that Gentlemen and Another Faust were two of my favorite 2009 books...and I'm honored that the Book Cove has included me in this sure-to-be terrific event!

Michael says that Pawling is a great little town...and I believe everything he says. Also, I know for a fact that upstate New York in mid-November can be gorgeous (as long as it's not rainy and frigid)...so if you're in the area, please consider a trip up on Metro-North (or down, left or right via other modes of transportation) and come hang out with us for the afternoon!

Kyra Sellers on Inside the Character's Studio!

I'm super excited to host the awesome Kyra Sellers, the star of Barry Lyga's Goth Girl Rising, on Inside the Character's Studio!

Time is a funny thing in the hospital. In the mental ward. You lose track of it easily. After six months in the Maryland Mental Health Unit, Kyra Sellers, a.k.a. Goth Girl, is going home. Unfortunately, she's about to find out that while she was away, she lost track of more than time. Things seem normal at first. Roger's his typical, pain-in-the-ass fatherly self. Jecca and Simone and the rest of the goth crowd still do their thing. And Kyra is back in black, feeling good, and ready to make up with the only person who's ever appreciated her for who she really is.

But then she sees him. Fanboy. Transcended from everything he was into someone she barely recognizes.

And the anger and memories come rushing back.

Fanboy. The Spermling. Miss Powell. Roger.

Her mother.

There's so much to do to people when you're angry.

Kyra's about to get very busy.

I have it on good authority (ie, Barry's) that Kyra is not the sharing type, so I'm even more honored than usual that she consented to doing this interview!

What is your favorite word?
I love saying "douchebag." It just rolls off the tongue.

What is your least favorite word?
The F-word. I don't say it anymore.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Telling people the truth. Especially when they're in denial.

What turns you off?
Hypocrisy

What is your favorite curse word?
Hmm. Well, I say "shit" a lot, but that's not really my favorite. Probably "bitch," because it has so many uses, you know?

What sound or noise do you love?
Silence.

What sound or noise do you hate?
People not shutting up.

What profession would you like to attempt?
I don't know. I haven't thought about it since before my mom died. I guess... Honestly, I never thought I'd make it past 16.

What profession would you not like to do?
Anything where anyone else tells me what to do.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
I don't want to answer- What? I have to? I guess... Look, I don't think I'm going to the Pearly Gates, but I guess if I get there somehow, I hope God says, "Your mom is waiting over by the chocolate trees and the coffee fountain." Shut up - I am SO not crying.

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Laurel Sewell on Inside the Characters' Studio!

I am so hapy to host Laurel Sewell, the main character of Aprilynne Pike's Bestselling Wings, on Inside the Character's Studio! Aprilynne is a good friend who has written a fantastic (in all senses of the word) book, and if you're one of the 13 people left in the world who haven't read it...go now!

Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful--too beautiful for words.

Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.

In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.

Welcome, Laurel!

What is your favorite word?
Sunshine. Also my favorite thing. Can those go together?

What is your least favorite word?
Barnes. Even the sound of that name makes me squirm!

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
I like to go outside and play my guitar. It relaxes me and helps me think.

What turns you off?
Dark rooms with no windows. I can't concentrate!

What is your favorite curse word?
I admit, I say damn a little too often.

What sound or noise do you love?
I love music. Almost any kind!

What sound or noise do you hate?
My parents yelling. At me or each other. I hate it.

What profession would you like to attempt?
I think I would like to be a nurse.

What profession would you not like to do?
Strangely, I don't want to be a doctor.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
That my family and friends have been waiting for me.

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Oscar Banks on Inside the Characters' Studio

Give it up for Roz Peterson, the star of Pam Bachorz's Candor, on Inside the Character's Studio!

Oscar Banks has everything under control. In a town where his father brainwashes everyone, he’s found a way to secretly fight the subliminal Messages. He’s got them all fooled: Oscar’s the top student and the best-behaved teen in town. Nobody knows he’s made his own Messages to deprogram his brain. But then Nia Silva moves to Candor, and Oscar falls in love. He must choose whether to let Nia be lost to brainwashing—or to sacrifice himself.

Welcome, Oscar!

What is your favorite word?
escape

What is your least favorite word?
control

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
getting away with something

What turns you off?
having to obey

What is your favorite curse word?
The Messages make it too hard to curse. Usually it's not worth the effort.

What sound or noise do you love?
The scrape of my girlfriend Nia's skateboard coming down the sidewalk.

What sound or noise do you hate?
The Messages, crawling around in my brain 24-7. I hate them all and I hate my father for putting them there.

What profession would you like to attempt?
I never really thought about this until you asked. But I'd like to be a scientist so I can find a way to break the Messages' grip on people's brains.

What profession would you not like to do?
My father thinks I'll be taking over the family biz of building a town that controls all its residents. Never.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
I'd like God to tell me there will be zero background music in Heaven. In Candor, you never escape the music--or the Messages.

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Kat Crosby on Inside the Characters' Studio!

Give it up for Kat Crosby, the star of Sydney Salter's Jungle Crossing, on Inside the Character's Studio!

Thirteen-year-old Kat can think of dozens of good reasons not to go on a boring family vacation to hot, grungy Mexico. Number one: missing her friend Fiona's minicamp. If she's not there, she'll begin eighth grade as a social reject. And it looks like she's the odd girl out on vacation, too. When Kat's parents arrange for her and her younger sister, Barb, to go on a teen adventure tour, Barb makes more friends than she does. The only person who will talk to Kat is Nando, a young Mayan guide (who happens to be quite a cutie). Each day as they travel to different Mayan ruins, Nando tells Kat and Barb another installment in the original legend of Muluc, a girl who lived in the time of the Ancient Maya. The dangerous, dramatic world in which Muluc lives is as full of rivalry, betrayal, jealousy, and sacrifice as Kat's world at school. And as she makes new friends and discovers new treasures in Mexico, Kat begins to wonder: Is she willing to keep sacrificing her self in exchange for popularity?

Welcome, Kat!

What is your favorite word?
Minicamp

What is your least favorite word?
Mexico

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
I like to draw, but please don't tell anyone. Fiona wants us all to take dance again this year.

What turns you off?
Oh, I have a whole list, starting with forced family vacations to Mexico and ending with mean teen tour guides!

What is your favorite curse word?
Barb. My little sister is a serious curse in my life!

What sound or noise do you love?
Quiet. The kind you hear in a Mayan village.

What sound or noise do you hate?
The crazy sounds a plane makes while taking off--I'm so afraid of crashing!

What profession would you like to attempt?
I'd like to illustrate Nando's story about Muluc. And maybe some other books someday.

What profession would you not like to do?
Hotel maid.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Don't worry, Fiona isn't here (she didn't meet the requirements). But Muluc is waiting for you. And does she ever have a story to tell!

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Cass McKenna on Inside the Character's Studio!

Give it up for Cass McKenna, the star of Megan Crewe's Give Up The Ghost, on Inside the Character's Studio!

Cass McKenna much prefers the company of ghosts over "breathers." Ghosts are uncomplicated and dependable, and they know the dirt on everybody... and Cass loves dirt. She's on a mission to expose the dirty secrets of the poseurs in her school.

But when the vice president of the student council discovers her secret, Cass's whole scheme hangs in the balance. Tim wants her to help him contact his recently deceased mother, and Cass reluctantly agrees.

As Cass becomes increasingly entwined in Tim's life, she's surprised to realize he's not so bad--and he needs help more desperately than anyone else suspects. Maybe it's time to give the living another chance...

Welcome, Cass!

What is your favorite word?
Truth

What is your least favorite word?
Fake

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
People who say what they mean, people who listen instead of judging by appearances, seeing justice done to people who deserve it.

What turns you off?
Liars, cheaters, bullies, poseurs, and especially people who are all those things and get away with it.

What is your favorite curse word?
Crap, or, if no one who's going to get on my case is listening, sh*t.

What sound or noise do you love?
My sister's laughter. I wish I heard it more often these days.

What sound or noise do you hate?
The school bells. I have to spend way too much time in that place.

What profession would you like to attempt?
I don't know, I haven't really thought that far ahead.

What profession would you not like to do?
Anything where you have to make nice to annoying people.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Good work, Cass, you made the world just a little more honest!

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Valerie Leftman on Inside the Characters' Studio

I am so happy to have a chance to host Valerie Leftman, the star of Jennifer Brown's incredible Hate List, on Inside the Character's Studio!

As those of you who follow me on Twitter know, I fell in love with this book when I read it...and I really believe it's one of the best debuts of the year...possibly of the last few years. Hear me when I tell you that you should go out, buy a copy, read it, and take it to heart. I, for one, am trying my hardest to "see things as they are" after reading this incredible book.

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman’s boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saves the life of a classmate, but is implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things they hated. The list her boyfriend used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.

Welcome, Val!

What is your favorite word?
"Forgiveness". But you don't hear it very often.

What is your least favorite word?
Right now, "guilt."

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Definitely drawing and painting. And visiting my therapist.

What turns you off?
My parents.

What is your favorite curse word?
Some people would say that my boyfriend's name is just about as bad as a curse word now. But I still like the sound of it: "Nick."

What sound or noise do you love?
I love the sound of total silence, especially in the art studio.

What sound or noise do you hate?
Gunshots. I never want to hear that again.

What profession would you like to attempt?
I think I'd do okay as a psychologist. Dr. Hieler inspires me.

What profession would you not like to do?
English teacher. I don't think I could handle reading Shakespeare anymore.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
"Don't worry; Nick made it here, too."

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Gianna Z on Inside the Characters' Studio!

Give it up for Gianna Z, the star of Kate Messner's The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z, on Inside the Character's Studio!

Gianna Zales has a lot on her plate this fall – a father who drives her to school in the family hearse, a mother who’s turned into the junk food police, a little brother who thinks he’s a member of the paparazzi, and a grandmother who leaves false teeth in the refrigerator. Worst of all, she’s left her 7th grade leaf collection to do at the last minute. It’s a monster project, and Gianna will miss cross-country sectionals if she doesn’t meet the deadline. She’ll need the help of her geeky friend, Zig, and some brilliant ideas of her own to pull it off.

Welcome, Gianna!

What is your favorite word?
Pandemonium (because it sounds so colorful!)

What is your least favorite word?
Leaf project

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Running. And my art.

What turns you off?
Leaf projects. Did I already mention that?

What is your favorite curse word?
Oh gosh! Nonna would be scolding me in Italian for days if I answered that question here in front of everybody.

What sound or noise do you love?
Zig's special knock at our door

What sound or noise do you hate?
Anything that comes out of Bianca Rinaldi's mouth.

What profession would you like to attempt?
I'd love to be an art teacher and then coach track.

What profession would you not like to do?
Professional leaf collector.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Welcome! There's a whole room full of art supplies over there. Don't worry about making a mess - Pablo and Claude and Jackson get paint everywhere, too. And if you're hungry, Nonna has a batch of wedding cookies in the oven. (There should also be a sign on one of the clouds: No Leaf Collections Allowed.)

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Emily Carson on Inside the Character's Studio!

Give it up for Emily Carson, the star of Jennifer Jabaley's Lipstick Apology, on Inside the Character's Studio!

Four little words written in lipstick mean Emily must say goodbye to everything she knows. Emily Carson has always been a good girl. So when she throws a party the night her parents leave for vacation, she's sure she'll get busted. What Emily doesn't know is that her parents will never return. That their plane will go down. And the only thing left amidst the wreckage will be a tray table with the words: Emily please forgive me scrawled in lipstick - her mother's last words.

Now it's fall in New York City and Emily's trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Her public tragedy captures the attention of more than just the media - and soon two very different boys at her new school are pursuing her: the cute, popular Owen, and the quirky chemistry partner slash pastry-baker-by-night, Anthony. But even with such delicious distractions, Emily can't let go of her mother's mysterious apology. Does she have the courage to face the truth?

With help of a whole new kind of family - one that includes a make-up artist to the stars, a teen hand model, and a wacky hairdresser - Emily must choose between the boy who makes her forget it all, and the one who encourages her to remember, and ultimately, heal.

Welcome, Emily!

What is your favorite word?
Family

What is your least favorite word?
Apology

What turns you on, creatively, spiritually?
Owen's green eyes. Anthony's kindness. Owen's charisma. Anthony's jokes.

What turns you off?
Meanness

What is your favorite curse word?
Crap

What sound or noise do you love?
The sound of the trees rustling in the breeze. It reminds me of home.

What sound or noise do you hate?
Planes flying above.

What profession would you like to attempt?
Maybe a make up artist like my aunt. or a hair stylist like Trent. Or maybe just a great mom like my mom was.

What profession would you not like to do?
Anything involving chemistry.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
"Welcome, Emily. Your parents are waiting for you."

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Twists. And why we love them.

Last night, I had a fantastic dinner with the lovely and talented Lisa Ann Sandell. Lisa and I have been friends for ages and, whether it's the author in us or the reader in us, we always end up talking about books (and not always our own)!

After a long and winding discussion last night, we landed on the subject of twists in novels. We chatted for a while about them...and I marveled at the skill it takes for an author to really pull one off. I mean...really really pull one off. Like, gasping for breath, OMG, shock the pants off you kind of twists.

Here's the part where I confess a super-duper respect for mystery authors. There's nothing like a great red herring.

As part of this post, I was going to list the five best twists I've ever read or seen. I wasn't going to explain them...obviously, that would ruin the fun. But...now I'm realizing that maybe the best part of a twist is that there is a twist at all. The ones where you audibly gasp are always the ones you REALLY weren't expecting. Right?

Hmm...ok...so...here's my list... but Beware: TWISTS AHEAD! Highlight at your own risk!

1. Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card (First on the list for a reason)
2. Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk
3. The Usual Suspects (film)
4. The Game (film)
5. The Others (film)

So...What did I miss?

So Excited for RWA!!!

Just a quick post for now because I'm getting SO excited for RWA this year! I've printed out my workshop schedule...and downloaded my workshop handouts...and am getting SO SO excited to hang out with a whole community of people who are as geeked-out about romance as I am! Yay!

I'll be twittering like mad from the conference all next week...and will most certainly blog from DC...but for now, an announcement!

For those of you who are around on Wednesday afternoon (July 15th), swing on over to the Marriott Wardman Park exhibit hall for the 2009 "Readers for Life" Literacy Autographing! More than 500 romance authors are scheduled to participate in this two-hour autographing event--raising thousands of dollars to donate to ProLiteracy Worldwide (FYI...I'll be the one freaking out about signing in the same room as Elizabeth Hoyt. And Julia Quinn. And Nora Roberts. And Eloisa James. And...OMG. I can't think anymore about it).

So, yeah...bring your cash and buy signed books for a great cause. And if you have time...come hang out by me so I look less like a squawking fangirl and more like a bona-fide author (even though we all know the truth).

Real Men Read Austen

Ok, y'all. Seriously?

How am I supposed to be articulate in the face of this yumminess?

Dominic West reads from Pride & Prejudice.

In the immortal words of well bred ladies everywhere:

Hubba Hubba.

Dara Cohen on Inside the Character's Studio!

Give it up for Dara Cohen, the star of Megan Frazer's Secrets of Truth & Beauty, on Inside the Character's Studio!

Secrets of Truth & Beauty -- When Dara Cohen was little, she was crowned Little Miss Maine. That was then. Now Dara's seventeen and she's not so little anymore. That's just one of her many problems. Another is that her control-freak mom won't get off her case about anything. Yet the one that hurts the most is the family secret: Dara has an older sister her parents tried to erase from their lives.

Welcome, Dara!

What is your favorite word?
Encore

What is your least favorite word?
Ridiculous

What turns you on, creatively, spiritually?
Honesty

What turns you off?
Ignorance

What is your favorite curse word?
I don't swear much, and when I do, it's mostly muttering under my breath. I haven't settled on a favorite, though.

What sound or noise do you love?
A really strong voice, like Cass Elliot or Christina Aguillera.

What sound or noise do you hate?
Glop.

What profession would you like to attempt?
Night club singer. Just for a little while, not like as an actual profession. (Let's hope my mom doesn't see this.)

What profession would you not like to do?
Before this summer, I might have said goat farmer -- if it had ever even occurred to me -- but now I see it's not so bad.

I didn't answer the question, did I?

All right then, I have no interest in even trying to be a deep sea fisherman. Or a taxidermist. Yeah, let's go with taxidermy as the profession I don't want to attempt.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Um, I'm Jewish so I haven't really given this much thought. Does G-d really greet you? It seems like he would have better things to do than play Welcome Wagon to the new recruits. But, okay, buying into this whole hypothetical situation, I hope he'd say, "Welcome," of course, and point me in the direction of my family -- my real family.

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Callie Montgomery on Inside the Character's Studio!

Ok...no surprise that I'm super excited to host Callie Montgomery, the star of Mandy Hubbard's Prada & Prejudice, on Inside the Character's Studio...for those of you who don't know about Prada...you should. Callie takes a nasty spill and wakes up in Regency London. And just so happens to meet a really really ridiculously goodlooking duke there. So, yes. This book tells the story of my biggest fantasy.

To impress the popular girls on a high school trip to London, klutzy Callie buys real Prada heels. But trying them on, she trips…conks her head…and wakes up in the year 1815!

There Callie meets Emily, who takes her in, mistaking her for a long-lost friend. As she spends time with Emily’s family, Callie warms to them—particularly to Emily’s cousin Alex, a hottie and a duke, if a tad arrogant.

But can Callie save Emily from a dire engagement, and win Alex’s heart, before her time in the past is up?

Welcome, Callie!

What is your favorite word?
Shopping!

What is your least favorite word?
Courtesan. There was this whole scandal last year involving the cheerleaders... I will never say that word again.

What turns you off, creatively, spiritually?
Mean people. I really hate snobs.

What is your favorite curse word?
I don't curse!

What sound or noise do you love?
I love the sound of laughter... especially when its coming from a certain duke....

What sound or noise do you hate?
The sound of me at the piano. I'm really terrible at it.

What profession would you like to attempt?
Gosh, as if I have that figured out!

What profession would you not like to do?
I could never be an actor or a singer... the limelight is too much for me.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
"Nice shoes."
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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

15 Books...

Rules: List the fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you. Choose the first fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes.

Ok...aside from my own:

1. James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl
2. The Babysitters Club series, by Anne M. Martin
3. Pride & Prejudice, by Jane Austen
4. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
5. The Other Boleyn Girl, by Philippa Gregory
6. Just Listen, by Sarah Dessen
7. Devil in Winter, by Lisa Kleypas
8. The Black Lyon, by Jude Deveraux
9. The Crimson Petal and the White, by Michael Faber
10. The Life of Pi, by Yann Martel
11. The Things They Carried, by Tim O'Brien
12. Skinny Legs & All, by Tom Robbins
13. The Cider House Rules, by John Irving
14. Look Homeward Angel, by Thomas Wolfe
15. The Six Wives of Henry VIII, by Alison Weir

ok...now you!

Avery Pirzwick on Inside the Character's Studio!

I am a sucker for superheroes. It's true. Batman, Spiderman, Wolverine, heck...I even like Aquaman...and all he can do is talk to fish. So, it should come as no surprise that I am 100% in love with Avery Pirzwick, the star of Sarah Cross's Dull Boy. And I'm SUPER excited to host Avery here on the blog today.

What do you do if you can deadlift a car, and you spend your nights flying to get away from it all? If youare fifteen-year-old Avery Pirzwick, you keep that information to yourself. When youare a former jock turned freak, you canat afford to let the secret slip.

But then Avery makes some friends who are as extraordinary as he is. He realizes theyare more than just freaksatogether, maybe they have a chance to be heroes. First, though, they have to decide whether to trust the mysterious Cherchette, a powerful wouldbe mentor whose remarkable generosity may come at a terrible price.

Welcome, Avery!

What is your favorite word?
badass

What is your least favorite word?
dissection

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
This is a really awkward question ...

What turns you off?
Anything that almost kills me.

What is your favorite curse word?
idk, the best ones got edited out. ;)

What sound or noise do you love?
Silence. It means no one is yelling at me.

What sound or noise do you hate?
The sound of something really expensive breaking. *cringes*

What profession would you like to attempt?
Superhero is sort of a profession, right?

What profession would you not like to do?
Dentist. Anything on Dirty Jobs.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
"Go back, you're not done yet!" Or: *as God strokes his lustrous beard thoughtfully* "Hmm ... you really *are* more awesome than Wolverine."
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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Anna Reiley on Inside the Character's Studio!

Ok...it's no secret that I have a major friend crush on the fabulous Sarah Ockler. We've got some weird cosmic similarities that are seriously freaky-deaky. First, we're both named Sarah. Second, Sarah's husband grew up literally across the street from where my parents lived when they first moved to the US in Flushing, Queens, NYC. How did we discover this? Sarah actually *recognized* the spot where this photo was taken. While she was reading my blog. Which brings me eerie similarity #3--we're both awesome.

So...I am SO SO SO excited to host Anna Reiley, the star of Sarah's Twenty Boy Summer on the blog today.

While on vacation in California, sixteen-year-old best girlfriends Anna and Frankie conspire to find a boy for Anna’s first summer romance, but Anna harbors a painful secret that threatens their lighthearted plan and their friendship.

TWENTY BOY SUMMER is a debut YA novel that explores what it truly means to love someone, what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.

Welcome, Anna!

What is your favorite word?
Love.

What is your least favorite word?
Lost.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Being outdoors and connecting with the universe through nature. Traveling also does it for me, now that I finally get to go somewhere interesting! But mostly, I just like to be outside in the sun, no matter where I am.

What turns you off?
When people apologize for something they didn't do simply because they don't know what else to say, or when they try to force conversation just to fill the space so they don't have to feel awkward around you. I wish they would just be quiet, because sometimes there just aren't any words for something.

What is your favorite curse word?
I don't curse that much, so I save it all up for the big one. ;-)

What sound or noise do you love?
The sound of Matt's voice reading to me. Some days I wake up and think of him and his voice goes hazy in my memory. I'm so scared of forgetting the sound of it.

What sound or noise do you hate?
Tires screeching, and the song that was playing that day... Casey Jones.

What profession would you like to attempt?
I think I'd like to work with other teens and kids who just need someone to talk to and listen to them, especially if they've gone through something traumatic. Maybe a counselor or social worker.

What profession would you not like to do?
Hair stylist or makeup artist. I leave all things glamorous in Frankie's capable hands.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
"Matt! She's here!"

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.