Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Gearing Up for the Historical Hearts Launch Party

Oh yes, doesn't the sight of the delicious Henry in Immortals warm the cockles of your heart? And now I have your attention with a bit of gratuitous gorgeousness I'm going to announce some exciting news!

A group of Australian and New Zealand authors who write historical romance have got together, and we're launching a new blog next week - Historical Hearts We write across the spectrum, from ancient Roman times (that would me!), through to Scottish Highlanders, Regency, Victorian and up to World War II. Sizzling, sweet, fantasy and paranormal, there's something for everyone! There's going to be lots of fabulous giveaways throughout next week, so don't forget to pop on over and say hello!


Monday, August 29, 2011

Cathryn Hein - Promises


Huge congratulations to my good friend Cathryn Hein, whose debut with Penguin Australia hits the shelves today! Isn't that a beautiful cover? I've known Cathryn for a few years but we only met for real at the RWA conference last year. Fingers crossed we'll get to meet up again next year!

And here's the enticing blurb:

A father with something to hide, a jockey with a taste for blackmail, a man with an agonising secret... and a young woman in love, defying them all.

Sophie Dixon is determined to leave her tragic past behind and forge a bright future on her beloved farm. While looking to buy a new horse, she is drawn into her neighbour Aaron Laidlaw’s orbit, despite the bad blood between their families. As the racing season unfolds, Sophie and Aaron’s feelings for each other deepen. But Aaron is torn, haunted by a dark secret he fears can never be forgiven – especially by Sophie.

Sophie believes herself strong, but the truth behind her mother’s death will test her strength, and her love, to the limit. She’s been broken once. No one wants to see her broken again. Least of all the man who has grown to love her.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Captive - 20 Years of Romance Covers


I haven't forgotten today is Friday, but am going to put off the LOL kitty until after the weekend because today I received my certificate from the Romance Writers of Australia for the 20 Years of Romance Covers. Isn't it completely gorgeous! I've put the frame up in the dining room so everyone can admire it!!!

Huge thank you to the organizers of the contest and to everyone who voted and I'm just really sorry that I wasn't there at the conference to collect this in person.

If you love the Captive cover then you might want to check out other work by the artist, Tony Mauro. Totally awesome!


Sunday, August 21, 2011

LOL-Oops

Yes, I managed to forget the Friday LOLcats after only three weeks. Oops! I only remembered last night so without further flaffing about, here is this week's adorable kitty (with thanks as always to the talented Eleni!!)


OMG how cute is this? Look at that little face!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Captive Ties 1st Place in the Romance Writers of Australia's 20 Years of Romance Covers!


On Saturday night I logged into Twitter so I could follow the award ceremony for the Romance Writers of Australia's 20th conference. And nearly fell off my chair when I saw that the cover of Captive tied for first place in the Historical Section along with my lovely writing friend Tamara Gill's A Captain's Order, A Duke's Command! Thank you to everyone who voted :-)



Stunning covers!! The full line up of finalists can be found here and details of the winners of the RWA 2011 Awards Night can be found here along with a couple of pics.

Friday, August 12, 2011

LOLCATS Friday #3

It's the 20th annual Romance Writers of Australia's conference this weekend, being held in Melbourne - and I'm not there!! I feel like Cinderella only this time there's no glass slipper or fairy godmother. *sigh* However, I have to say HM&B author Nikki Logan is doing an amazing job over at Twitter giving us the highlights and sound bites of Bob Mayer's Warrior Writer workshop, so big thanks Nikki!


And here is the adorable kitty for today. What a very lovely dream!!!

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Doctor Who?

 I'm a bit of a David Tennant as Doctor Who fan, so had to post this YouTube of him with Catherine Tate. It's for Comic Relief Red Nose Day and is a few years old now, but I've only just discovered it and it's hilarious!

Enjoy!



Tuesday, August 09, 2011

Writerly Update

It's been a while since I did an update-on-my-writing post, so here goes!!

I heard back from my agent over the weekend and she loves the last book I handed in *phew* what a relief. It's like a weight off my mind. Now everything's crossed that my editor likes the revised version too :-)

I'm 15k into my next book, and the hero and heroine can hardly keep their hands off each other. I've already split them up once just as they were enjoying themselves, so I guess I'd better let them have some fun soon before I tear their world apart!




Monday, August 08, 2011

Boomerang Bride


Very excited for my good friend Fiona Lowe, multi-pubbed Mills and Boon author in their Medical line, who's celebrating the release of her debut single title from Carina Press today - Boomerang Bride! Huge congrats, Fiona :-)

And here's the tantalizing blurb!

Matilda Geoffrey risked it all for love. She left Australia to be with Barry—the man who had swept her off her virtual feet. Now, wearing a wedding dress, she's alone on Main Street in small-town Wisconsin, and things aren't working out exactly as planned...

In town for his annual family visit, Marc Olsen had never seen a bride quite like Matilda—staring into a storefront window, holding a tottering wedding cake, and looking desperately in need of a groom. He may not have any warm feelings for his hometown,but meeting Matilda just as she discovers she's been scammed by her online "fiancĂ©" stirs something in him.

Matilda is not the kind of woman Marc imagined himself with, and Marc is anything but the romantic hero that Matilda has always dreamed of. But as unlikely circumstances throw them together, can they let go of their misconceptions and risk their hearts for love?

Friday, August 05, 2011

LOLPUPPY Friday

Here's the second LOLCATS Friday. But because we're all about equal opportunity here, we can't leave out the adorable puppies! So with thanks to Eleni, here's the first LOLPUPPY (hope you enjoy this one, Cathryn!!)


The answer to this question is... ummm, no not yet...

Thursday, August 04, 2011

DarkSiders Unleashed

 Check out these sizzling covers on fellow DarkSide Down Under authors whose books are releasing this week! Super hotness guaranteed!!!




Enter the fierce, fantastical world of the Shadowfae, where blood is a drug, magic is a crime, and love is the most dangerous weapon of all...
 
To a vampire, nothing is sweeter than bloodfairy essence -- and Ember is the most sought-after fairy on the underworld circuit. Selling her blood to the highest bidder -- and robbing her clients in the process -- Ember has unwittingly become a target of dark and dangerous forces. Her enemies are everywhere. And if she hopes to survive, she needs protection...

Diamond is a glassfairy who, for better or worse, knows his way around the vampire underworld. Smooth as silk and tougher than trolls, Diamond is Ember’s only chance to keep her magical blood inside her body, where it belongs. But he also poses a threat to Ember, a strange kind of danger she’s never experienced before: She’s falling in love with him... 


Michael’s bad, bad, bad—all the way to the bone. A single heated encounter with the master thief and level-headed Liseriel the Gray has never been so furious—so intrigued—in her life. Neither has Michael. Danger’s always been his drug of choice.   

With his huge bronze wings and sweet, serious smile, Daxariel the Burnished is everything the thief is not—a generous shining spirit, an honest loving soul—and a virgin.

   It's going to take two Aetherii to catch a thief. Lise and Dax are both so godsbedamned good, Michael can’t wait to debauch and defile, to make his Aetherii beg for dark erotic pleasures. It’s the only way he knows to win—and win he must, because there’s something about wings and tails and trust freely given that has him reeling.

   Exquisitely trapped between Michael’s intoxicating wickedness and Dax’s steadfast love, everything Lise believes about duty is dust on the wind. How can she crave both these men, different as night and day?


Every fairy tale has to have some basis in fact, right? That's what Eliza thought as she made a desperate plea to the legendary Goblin King. If he could grant her wish, she'd finally be safe. He would protect her. But what would he ask in return...?
Enjoy this short prequel and a sneak peek of The Goblin King, the first of a highly imaginative new paranormal series by Shona Husk.


Kat Meyer sleepwalks–buck naked sleepwalking, just to make it even more humiliating–and she goes to great lengths to lock herself in her house at night so she doesn’t inadvertently entertain the neighbors. She’s been there, done that, and she’s never quite gotten over it! Adding to the stress, her lazy cat, Cupcake, seems bound and determined to be a cat-burglar extraordinaire. But instead of just leaving “gifts” like house keys and trinkets on her pillow, Kat’s pet has now gravitated to stealing rings. Specifically, Jace Burton’s ring. And Jace just happens to be the big-shot architect she’s vying with the other designers to work with.

When Jace wakes in the middle of the night to find a naked and highly distraught Kat in his living room, he’s inclined to believe her bizarre tale of sleepwalking and cat-burglars-of-the-feline-persuasion. He is a red-blooded male, after all. And did he mention she was gorgeous? And naked? As an added bonus, he’s beyond grateful to learn that Kat’s found his grandfather’s missing ring.

Jace is appalled to think of what harm might have befallen Kat while she prowled the streets naked at night. She’s gotten right under his skin and all his protective instincts kick in with a vengeance. It’s sure no hardship to escort her safely home–nor to offer to help her find out how’n the heck she’s getting out of her deadlocked house at night. But Kat’s the unwitting victim of a zodiac curse, and when the unbelievable truth smacks him right between the eyes, Jace doesn’t know what the hell to think. Should he hide what he’s seen from the woman he’s fallen head over heels in love with? Or should he tell her the truth and risk losing her forever?