Move over, it's Inez Kelley again!

Hey Leah, s’me again! Did you redecorate? No? Hmm, something seems to be missing. Oh, I know what it is! BOXES! You don’t have any.

See, while your blog readers are reading this, I am currently running around like the proverbial Col. Sander’s meal without my head. No, really, it is worse than normal. I am moving lock, stock and barrel of monkeys. Am I moving down the street? Across the state? Nooo, not me. I never do anything half-assed. Full ass only for me.

I am moving over 600 miles. With three kids, three cats and a buttload of boxes. To make things more interesting, I have lots of stuff going on in my writing life too. Lots. Like a plethora of news!

I contracted the sequel to Myla by Moonlight to Carina Press. SALOME AT SUNRISE comes out June 21^st!! First day of summer! I am so freakin’ excited about this I screamed. Numerous times. Embarrassing my children. Such is life. That is what they get for announcing in church that mama wears big underwear.

Salome at Sunrise is Bryton’s tale, Prince Taric’s human bodyguard, the big brawny smartass. I have to confess, I spent most of the writing of this story calling him Turdboy. He is so @#$% irritating. I wanted to smack him half the time. And then he goes and breaks my heart and makes my cry over his red-headed ass. *sigh* He is the perfect hero. He is so noble and honorable but his mouth is uhm, kinda like mine.

His heroine is Salome and she is as different from Myla as night and day. (get it, Myla by MOONLIGHT, Salome at SUNRISE, night and day? Okay, never mind, move along).

You don’t *HAVE* to have read Myla by Moonlight to enjoy this sequel but of course I think you should. Want an unofficial blurb? Of course you do or you would have stopped reading.

SALOME AT SUNRISE

It’s not nice to piss off Mother Nature…

Called to bring peace to Bryton’s tortured soul, Salome is a spell, a bird-shifter windsinger with the power to harness the air. Commanding nature is far easier than handling her new charge. She offers him harmony while longing to sing a different tune, one of love and devotion. She can soothe him with song or touch but she can’t be human.

Bryton Haruk is the King’s Might and His Law. Forced to watch his wife die by his enemy’s hand, he turns his back on his destiny in grief and guilt. He has vowed to avenge her death and join her on the Otherside. No beautiful peacemaker is going to change his course …even if he is tempted to forget his pain in her arms.

A band of murderers plot to overthrow the kingdom and claim the land for themselves. The only thing standing in their way is one bitter man and the whispering wind.

If this wasn’t thrilling enough for me, there is more! (I tend to do things excessively, can you tell?)

Samhain Publishing contracted my novella LIPSTICK ON HIS COLLAR! This was my first attempt into a Red Hot erotic romance and a short story all by my little lonesome but I guess I did okay! I had a blast writing it. First, the hero, Bram, is an ex-firefighter and 911 Communications Specialist. I spent ten years as a 911 dispatcher so yeah, I know these yumtastic guys do exist. There is a mystery in it. Not like a murder mystery or anything… the heroine’s name. She won’t tell him. She’ll do everything else but she won’t give him her name. He calls her Lady.

“Make me your goddess and I’ll take you to heaven.”

This sultry promise began a scorching one-night stand that Bram Winters cannot forget. He never got her name but he gave part of his heart to the vivacious vixen. Then she disappears, stealing his shirt and vanishing like the wispy smoke of a dream. He finds her almost four hundred miles away in a tiny Laundromat and more than his socks go through a spin cycle.

Lady is poised for flight from her old life. Bram had been her one night of physical distraction before her escape from her emotionally unstable, violent ex. She never expected Bram to reappear and send her emotions, and her desires, for a tumble. They succumb to the passion churning between them and more than a hot water wash steams the plate glass window.

Her ex watches and grows more furious by the minute. It’s a delicate situation with dangerous consequences.

To make matters even more WOW than that, Ginny Glass and I co-wrote a novella titled TALK DIRTY TO ME and it has been contracted through Carina Press! It is scheduled for a summer release! We FINALLY decided on a name for the hero(with the help of a Carina blog poll) and so I will share with you that blurb! (warning, this one is smart, sophisticated and smoooooking hawt!)

"Tell me what you want. Talk dirty to me."


For Nora MacGregor, the sinful voice of a stranger gives her permission to explore her deepest fantasies – fantasies that only exist outside her daily drudgery in the science lab. ‘James’, challenges Nora’s icy clinical ideas about the power of sex. The arrangement – she talks to him and he returns her lost dissertation notes, page by page. What he can’t give her is human touch, tangible sweetness, attributes she finds in the company and gentle romance of Dr. Jarod Reed.

Jarod, who seized an opportune moment and became the mysterious James, is now trapped in a mess of his own making, unable to let Nora know that he wants more than a naughty bedtime story. The anonymity of being Nora’s cell phone lover frees Jarod to reach into the not-so-scholarly pursuits of the flesh but may have cost him the chance to make those fantasies a reality.

What could possibly be even better than all that? Weeeeeeeeeeeell, my romantic comedy JINXED from Samhain is coming out *in print* on April 6^th! Pre-orders from Amazon and Barnes & Noble have already shipped! People own me! I want to jump up and down and squeal about this but yeah, too tired. My first sale ever is now a paper bound book that people can hold and dog-ear and put on the back of the toilet to read while… well, you know. See, isn’t it pretty?!

Obligatory blurb sharing…

When opposites attract, they are screwed three ways from Sunday.

Frannie learned the hard way that a McHottie doesn’t always equal marriage material. Besides, she’s happy with her vanilla life. She has friends, a career and a double-D-powered vibrator. Then Fate shoves her, literally, into Prince Charming’s lap. His declaration of love at first sight is cute—and spikes her bullcrap meter into the red zone.

She’s more than willing to give in with her body. But she’s barricaded her heart behind castle walls—and permanently welded the gates shut.

Tragedy taught Jinx that time is too precious to waste, so when a series of uncanny coincidences thrusts Frannie into his life, he holds on tight. He knows she thinks he’s several fries short of a Happy Meal, but he’s determined to breach the fortress around her heart and give her a Happily Ever After.

Even if he has to carry her fanny-first into his kingdom.

WARNING: Includes jelly shoes, a narcoleptic cat, and meatloaf. The steamy sex scenes may lead to fogged windows and wet panties, so proceed at your own risk. Do not attempt to read without the following items: tissues, napkins for spewed beverages, and a booty call on speed dial.

Exciting stuff huh? Trouble is, I don’t remember which box my underwear is in and I am going off line for the move. A whole week without internet. The withdrawal ain’t going to be pretty, I can tell you this.

But if you made it all the way through that rambling, you lucked out. I promised Leah she could host the first contest for a free PRINT copy of JINXED, signed and mailed to you!] Just leave me a comment(with email addy) and Leah will pick a winner. When I get back on line, I will send your brand-spanking new pinkilicious copy of JINXED to your snailmail box!

And please, light a candle, say a prayer, sacrifice a goat, anything just wish me well on my move. 600 miles in the truck with my kids and I will need Tylenol, a straight jacket and a shot of Wild Turkey!

Winner of Shelley Munro's contest

The winner of the e-copy of Shelley Munro's contest is:

Andrea

Andrea, send an email with your choice of book from Shelley's backlist, and the format you'd like it in to me at leah DOT braemel @gmail DOT com (removing the spaces and replacing the DOTs with periods of course) and I'll forward your request to Shelley.  If I don't hear from you in 7 days, I'll redraw from the list of commenters.

There were 12 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. Andrea
2. Chandra Ryan
3. Chelsea B
4. Kate Pearce
5. KS Manning
6. Jill
7. Fedora
8. Cari Quinn
9. Sharon
10. Kaye Manro
11. Beth
12. Estella

Timestamp: 2010-03-30 00:48:03 UTC

Honey baby, darlin' girl

I'm blogging over at Samhain's main blog today -- I'm talking about pet names heroes call their heroines.

Guitar Hero walked in while I was posting it over on the Samhain blog. In addition to the terms I put in my blog, he mentioned Stevie Ray Vaughn's Pride and Joy which adds a few more terms ...



Well I love my babylike the finest wine
Stick with her until the end of time
She's my sweet little thangshe's my pride and joy
She's my sweet little babyI'm her little lover boy





You may have noticed that last weekend Samhain's store My Bookstore and More was offline while they upgraded the website.  Well, it's back up with a brand new look. To celebrate, they're having a sale. Save 20% on any ebook order by entering the coupon code *Shinynew* So now's the time to stock up on all those books you've been meaning to buy but haven't.  Like Private Property or Personal Protection.

All My Bags are Packed---Not!

I'm supposed to be packing for a weekend away with my writing buds.  I'm supposed to be ready to leave in the morning.  I'm not. *cringe*  I finished my edits on Texas Tangle yesterday (a day early--woot!) But holy moly, Angela James and my new editor at Carina Press, Rhonda Stapleton, asked questions that made me dig deep deep deep into the characters and the story.  Between them they pushed me harder than I've been pushed in a long while but wow, I am so pleased with the story and I know it is far stronger for their editing.  These ladies ROCK! 

Anyway, my brain decided it had had enough thinking after this  week, and I got very little accomplished today other than laundry, dishes and grocery shopping. (Which were all pathetically in need of attention since I'd ignored them the last 8 days.)

So I'm going to be running around completely out of my mind tomorrow doing everything at the last minute. I can already picture myself texting Gizmo Guy with a list of things I've forgotten to pack. Thankfully Wylie Kinson will be driving us to our destination tomorrow (from where I live it's almost a 4 hour drive.) Good thing too because I got my car back yesterday from the mechanics' after paying a bucketload of money (the brake lines had sprung a leak and I had no way to stop the car--no, it's not a Toyota) only to discover that the clutch is acting up and GG doesn't think it's safe to drive until it gets looked at. Again. Considering it's a '96, I shouldn't be surprised, but it's annoying because GG's car has over 300K on it, so my car was supposed to be the one we could rely on when his gives up the ghost. *sigh* It's always something, isn't it?

While I'm away, I'll have access to the internet and will be checking in with you--I'm going to give you a couple more days to get any comments in to Shelley Munro's post and then I'll draw the winner on Monday. Make sure you come back on Wednesday -- the hilarious Inez Kelley is returning to celebrate the release of the paperback version of her Jinxed.

Shelley Munro's Romancing Food

Food and Romance by Shelley Munro

Food reality shows have hit New Zealand recently. We’re all watching and discussing our local version of Master Chef and most of us have firm opinions about New Zealand’s Hottest Home Baker and who should win. Of the two shows, my favorite is the Hottest Home Baker. I have great memories of baking as a child. My brother, sister and I would all pick one recipe from the cookbook and bake during the weekend to fill the tins for the coming week. I still enjoy baking and have downloaded several of the recipes the entrants have made on the show. Last weekend I made some Date and Orange scones. Delicious!

Watching the reality shows made me realize how much I enjoy romances set in the food industry. It’s a subject that’s been on my mind recently as I start to plan a new contemporary series. I’m thinking that my heroine will be a part-owner of a restaurant. It’s a setting I’m comfortable with and actually know a little about because I’ve worked in pub restaurants and in the fast food industry. I also like to eat, which is a qualification in itself.

Food brings all sorts of exciting possibilities to a romance. It’s a big part of our everyday lives and most of us have a love/hate relationship with the stuff. Food is a memory trigger and specific foods make us think of Christmas, birthdays and other special occasions. We eat food during celebrations and sometimes we overeat when we’re feeling down. Courting couples go on dates and eat while they get to know each other. Food can be intimate and part of risqué love scenes—imagine champagne, chocolate and strawberries—and of course, food can be part of a book’s setting.

I’ve used a café called Storm in a Teacup as part of the setting in my Middlemarch books. Other romances with food as the theme/setting include Louisa Edwards’ A Recipe for Love series. I’ve just started reading Can’t Stand the Heat, the first book in the series. I’m enjoying it very much, especially the way Louisa incorporates food references and uses them to help portray emotions.

Here’s one example – She looked pretty and owlish, confusion softening the hard line of her mouth; too damned intriguing. Anger and attraction coiled in his belly, a pleasantly unsettling mix. Like what happened when he added a splash of lemon juice to a rich cream sauce.

The hero Adam sums up my feelings about food well when he says, “Food is personal. It should be personal. Dining is an intimate experience…”

Here are some other food related books for you to check out:

The Culinary mystery series featuring Goldie caterer and amateur sleuth by Diane Mott Davidson.

All U Can Eat – heroine runs a diner - by Emma Holly.

Let’s Dish – the heroine owns a coffee shop –by Catherine Wade.

Glutton for Pleasure – the heroine is a chef—by Alisha Rai.

Delicious – A Cinderella story with a compelling culinary twist – by Sherry Thomas.

Delicious – the hero is a chef – by Shayla Black.

Thanks for having me to visit today, Leah!

Do you enjoy food-themed romances or sexy scenes featuring food? Do you have any favorites? Shelley is giving away a copy of any of her backlist from either her Ellora's Cave or Cerridwen books (winner's choice). But you have to leave a comment telling her about whether you find food sexy.

Shelley Munro lives in New Zealand and writes contemporary and paranormal romance for Samhain Publishing and Ellora’s Cave. Her next release is a contemporary called The Bottom Line, which is due out at Samhain Publishing on April 27 2010.

You can visit Shelley at www.shelleymunro.com or follow Shelley on Twitter.

Winner of Juniper Bell's Training the Receptionist

Ooops, this totally fell off the radar.  The winner of the e-copy of Juniper Bell's contest is:

Armenia

Congratulations, Armenia!  Email me at leah.braemel @ gmail.com (without the spaces) with your choice of format you want Juniper's Training the Receptionist in and I'll forward your information to Juniper.

There were 4 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. Armenia
2. Lori
3. flchen1
4. host

Timestamp: 2010-03-24 11:20:00 UTC

Personal Protection now available @ Chapters/Indigo

Woot! Canada's main bookstore now carries Personal Protection on its website. (I did a search on stores 100 km around my home and it's not on any shelves in any of their stores -- major bummer) But if you are in Canada and want to support a Canadian store rather than ordering through a US firm, now you have an option.

Thanks to the folks at Samhain for getting through whatever red tape was holding it up, I may soon be able to see my book on my local bookstore shelves. 

(Thanks to Mary G for the heads-up!)

On Publishing

I'm still locked in my editing cave--but it's going well. I'm really happy with the suggestions my editor's made, even if they are challenging me.  The story's getting even longer. Instead of the 180 pages it was originally, it's now up to 187 191 pages and I have another scene or two to add yet.

So while I'm hunkering down writing, take a look at this video that was making the rounds on Twitter on Tuesday. It's fascinating, especially how it ... well, just watch it and see for yourself.

Snippet Saturday - Family

Today's theme is family. When you're first dating someone, that first "family dinner" can be a huge milestone. Even if you've known the family for years, arriving as the 'date' can make the friendliest family seem intimidating. Here's a sneak peek into Dillon's family in Texas Tangle. (This is an unedited excerpt--it may change between now and its release.)

Excerpt from Texas Tangle by Leah Braemel

Copyright © Carina Press 

coming summer 2010

On the way to the Barnett’s house, Nikki sat between them. When she reached for the radio, Dillon grabbed her hand and held flat against his thigh. “Stop worrying.”

“I was just going to turn it up.”

“You turned it down less than thirty seconds ago. You’ve been playing with it all the way here.” He shared a glance with Brett. “Do you want me to turn around? Call Mom and tell her we’re not coming?”

“Would you?”

“I could.”

“Why did you say it like that?”

“Like what?”

“You said you could as if it was a question. What are you implying, Dillon?”

“I cancelled out last week too, remember? Mom said if I cancelled out this week, she’d round everyone up and bring everyone to my place.”

“She would, too,” Brett agreed.

“Then she’d make us do the dishes afterward.” Dillon frowned and turned onto the county road leading to his parents’ place. “And there are a lot of dishes to do on Sundays. Like quadruple the amount we normally have.”

“Dillon, doing dishes is not a chore when you’ve got a dishwasher.” They both looked outraged at her statement. It wasn’t until she settled back thinking she’d won her argument that she realized Dillon was pulling into his parents’ driveway. Shoot. They’d tagteamed her into not watching where they were. Now it was too late to back out.

Dillon parked his truck beside a beat up old Chevy. “Hey, Griff’s home.”

He hopped out of the truck and swung Nikki down. She noticed that Brett kept a decent distance away from them. While she knew it was necessary to maintain the illusion, she wanted to hold his hand at the same time.

The front door swung open and Mrs. Barnett swooped onto the porch with a smug look on her face. She hugged Dillon first, then Brett and turned to Nikki. “I’m so glad you could come. With Griff working up north and Ethan at college, it’s the first time the whole family’s been together in ages.”

She led them into the house, talking over her shoulder as she went. “When Dillon phoned, I thought he was going to try to cancel again. But I told him, that if he did, I’d just pack everything up and bring everyone over to his place.”

As they passed the living room with its faded couch and upright piano, Brett leaned over and whispered, “You didn’t believe us, did you?”

She shook her head as they entered the dining room. While she already knew Dillon’s family, Mrs. Barnett—Faith as she insisted she be called once again—introduced her to his brothers, second eldest son, Griffin, and their youngest brother Matt bobbed their heads, both grinning a smile identical to Dillon’s, though they had their mother’s hazel eyes. Middle brother Ethan and Dillon’s sister, Lilly, sat on the opposite side of the table. Both had Dillon’s brown eyes, but their mother’s smile. His father, with deep chocolate eyes just like his son, nodded to her from the far end of the table.

“Gramma B, you know Nicole Kimball, don’t you?” Mrs. Barnett placed her hands on the shoulders of Dillon’s grandmother.

Another pair of chocolate brown eyes scanned her. With a curt nod of her head, Gramma apparently gave her stamp of approval. “She’ll do. Now where’s dinner? I’m hungry.”



Don't forget to visit the other Snippet Saturday participants:

Emma Petersen
TJ Michaels
Ashley Ladd
Lissa Matthews
McKenna Jeffries
Eliza Gayle
Shelli Stevens
Lauren Dane
Shelley Munro
Jody Wallace
Taige Crenshaw
Eliza Gayle
Mari Carr
Elisabeth Naughton
Juliana Stone

10 Things You Don't Know About Me

Kristin Callender aka KCBooks on Twitter awarded me the “Honest Scrap” award on her blog yesterday.  As part of it I have to accept her challenge to tell "ten things you might not know about me." 

Turned out that was tougher than I thought. Because I’m pretty much an open book. For instance, the first thing I was going to say was “I am verbose” but most of you already know this to be true so that doesn’t qualify under the ‘things you don’t know about me’ category, does it?

So, here goes:

1.    I love having a pen name because I having trouble saying my real life name.  Seriously.  When I was little I had to have speech therapy because there were certain letters and combinations that I just Could. Not. Say.  Even now, my first name is nearly impossible for me to say without me having to completely stop and focus on exactly where my tongue is in relationship to my teeth, or the roof of my mouth. While most people wouldn’t notice, some of those letters, especially certain combinations, still give me trouble.  While I got rid of my troublesome maiden name (1 bad letter twice plus a problem three letter combination midway through), my husband’s surname wasn’t much better because it has one of the problem letters at the start that when said in combination with my first name, stops me completely. (See, there’s the verbosity coming out again.)

2.    I’m pretty darned handy when it comes to putting up drywall and building stuff around the house. I built the office in my last house—put up a drop ceiling, put up the walls, laid carpeting, built a floor to ceiling cabinet unit pretty much by myself.

3.    While I’m a damned good speller (or I used to be, anyway) I cannot do math for the life of me. In grade 8, my math teacher made up a little saying about each student at the end of the year. Bear in mind, I was a straight A student, but even she said “when it comes to finding X, Leah can’t figure out why.”

4.    My first TV crush was on Pavel Chekov (played by Walter Koenig) from the original Star Trek. In its first run. Before it was referred to as “The Original Series.” In the 60s. And yes, in black and white.  Oh, and I was 7, by the way. I started crushing young, what can I say. (My second TV crush? Little Joe--aka Michael Landon--from Bonanza. He’s probably the reason why I still love me a good cowboy story.)

5.    My dad’s nickname for me when I was little was Pickle. I have no idea why, but probably because I was always getting myself into pickles. (As in trouble, not the food.)

6.    Back in the late ‘70s, while Gizmo Guy was driving me home after a date, Gizmo Guy and I saw a UFO. Hundreds of other reports flooded in that night from other people who also saw something strange in the sky. It was not the stereotypical saucer-shaped spaceship, this one was more cigar-shaped, but we both saw it, as did the occupants in the car in front of us.

7.    I swear in real life as much as my characters do in my books. Gizmo Guy rarely swears—he has the good manners I’ve lost over the years. All right, so maybe this is something those around me know already but, there you go.





8.    I envy people who can wear rings on multiple fingers. I love rings. I’d love to wear a ton of them. But I have short stubby (all right, FAT) fingers that do not look good with rings.

9.    I own more than a dozen decorative scarves that I’ll never wear. Silky scarves, shiny ones, glittery ones—the type that are meant to be looped around your neck with your favourite sweater or blouse as an accessory. But, like my fingers, I’ve got a short fat neck, and I don’t look good wearing them. *sigh*

10.    I have a black thumb. Give me a plant and I’ll kill it. I’ll overwater it. Or forget to water it. Within a very short period of time, any plant I have will start turning yellow or dropping leaves (or both.) and usually within a month, it’s dead.  My ideal room would include lots of greenery—ivies, African violets, plants that trail, plants that flower, plants that don’t flower, it doesn’t matter to me as long as it’s green and alive. Same goes for my garden outside. I’d love to have clumps of daisies and brown-eyed susans and irises and roses and … and … oh, anything that’s colourful and pretty. Instead I have … dirt. Yup. black thumb I tell you, and it’s not from digging in said dirt. I just have no luck/patience/clue when it comes to caring for plants. 

Where the heck is Leah?

You may have noticed I've been MIA on the blog a lot this past week. I've been head-down frantically working on revising my WIP because I knew I had edits coming down the pipeline for Texas Tangle.  Well, the edits have arrived and I'm now on deadline.  So expect me to be MIA until next Friday the 26th...which conveniently enough is also when I leave for my semi-annual Writers' Retreat. 

But don't worry, I've still got my Wednesday guest bloggers--Shelley Munro is here on the 24th.  Don't forget you still have until Friday to enter last Wednesday's guest blogger Juniper Bell's contest.  

If you're wondering what to do, wander over to Vivian Arend's blog. She's starting a contest today and will be giving away books every day.

Juniper Bell’s Love Connections

Don’t you love it when you’re reading a book and you completely connect with the main character? It’s magical. And so mysterious. Why some characters and not others? Why do other people like characters you don’t? The first character I love-love-loved was Jo in Little Women. I liked her sisters too, and cried my eyes out when Beth died, but Jo was – everything I wanted to be. Imaginative, adventurous, vibrant, devoted to her family. Jo was one of the reasons I wanted to be a writer.

As an adult, the first character I clicked with was Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice -- her sense of the absurd, her liveliness, her intelligence. I loved her and wanted to be just like her so some elusive eligible bachelor would fall for me. Whether or not he looked like Colin Firth.

Those two characters are iconic. I’m very sure I’m not the only writer who loves those two. But why should I connect with Sugar Beth in Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ Ain’t She Sweet? I’m nothing like her. I’ve never been a spoiled Southern beauty queen, believe me. And yet, something about her gritty determination and sense of humor really spoke to me.

Other characters leave me cold. Bridget Jones? I enjoyed the book, but Bridget and I didn’t have much chemistry. I thought she was trying too hard to make me like her. Bella Swan in Twilight? I loved the book, and related to some parts of her character, but overall found her too reserved. I followed her through all her books, but didn’t come away feeling I’d made a friend for life.

Chemistry with a character is so elusive – much like real life chemistry. Back when I was single, people used to say ‘Describe your ideal mate. List the characteristics you want him to have.’ I found that it doesn’t work that way. My sweetie isn’t a list of traits – he’s a living, breathing, wonderful person. Same with a character I fall in love with. I can’t pinpoint why I love them so much. The closest I can get is this: it’s something about the way that character looks at the world. It makes me feel I’m not alone, that someone else sees things the way I do. That I’ve found a friend.

So how can a writer create a character people connect with? I have no idea. But I love it when I really click with my own characters. My heroine in Training the Receptionist is not much like me. I didn’t grow up in Long Island with a dysfunctional family. I don’t have any tattoos. Dana’s much more daring than I am. But still, I connect with her cheekiness, her bravery, the way she finds the humor in difficult circumstances. That’s all I can do … Write characters I love, and hope others love them too.


What characters have you connected with the most in your reading? Tell me in a comment and I’ll put you in a random drawing for a choice of any of my books.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for having me, Leah!

“Training the Receptionist” 

by Juniper Bell

Genre: Erotica
ISBN: 978-1-60504-949-6
Length: Novella
Price: 3.50
Publication Date: March 2, 2010
Cover art by Scott Carpenter
Buy the book from Samhain's My Bookstore and More

It’s her naughty dream job—if they’re satisfied with her performance…

Eager to escape her miserable existence in Low-Life, Long Island, street-wise Dana Arthur jumps at an entry-level position with the consulting firm Cowell & Dirk. As her training period begins, she quickly discovers she’s required to do more than take messages and order office supplies. Her job description contains some deliciously naughty duties that give receptionist a whole new meaning.

Simon has almost given up on finding the right woman who will please his clients as well as his demanding partner and mentor, Ethan Cowell. No one measures up—until Dana. Her inner fire and fearless nature are perfect for the job. No matter what wicked punishment he devises to chastise her for her on-the-job mistakes, she accepts with a relish that leaves him wondering which one of them is really in control.

The last thing he expects to discover is that she’s a perfect sexual soul mate he can’t bear to share. But share he must—it’s part of his business agreement. Unless he makes Ethan the deal of a lifetime…

Warning: This title contains explicit sex, bondage, ménage, ingenious use of office furniture, lingerie, and the occasional sex toy. Oh, and did I mention the package delivery guy?

Read an excerpt over on Leah's excerpt page -- warning it is NSFW.

Training the Receptionist is available here. You can find out more about Juniper Bell’s books at JuniperBell.com. You can also follow her on Twitter or check out her blog.

Don't forget, Juniper's offering a copy of her book to one lucky commenter -- but you have to tell her what character you've read that you connected with the most. Contest closes on Friday March 19, 9 p.m. Eastern. 

A Naughty Interview of Sam

I'm over at Nine Naughty Novelists blog today. In order to fit in with the Nine Naughties, I've interviewed the hero of Personal Protection, Sam Watson.   Drop on over and say hi!

Winner of MC Halliday's contest

The winner of MC Halliday's contest is:

Julie

Julie, please send me an email at leah DOT braemel AT gmail DOT com with your choice of MC's books -- I Came Up Stairs: A Victorian Courtesan's Memoirs 1867-1871 or The King's Daughter.

There were 9 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. Julie
2. Mitzi
3. Bethie
4. Sherry Gloag
5. Estella
6. Joder
7. Tura Lura
8. Maggie Dove
9. Kathleen O

Timestamp: 2010-03-11 12:41:30 UTC

Bianca d'Arc: Once Bitten, Twice Dead

Zombies can be sexy. No, wait, really, they can be! Okay, not the zombies themselves, but just think of the brave heroes and kick-ass women who fight the zombies. Are you getting where I'm coming from?

So yes, zombies can be very sexy indeed. That's the premise for my latest series of books, written especially for Kensington Brava. With all the zombie books and movies out lately, they asked me to explore the sexier side of the zombie invasion. At first, I admit, I was very skeptical, but after I got into the military romance side of things, I was hooked.

Picture it: Special Forces heroes who fight the undead creatures of the night, rushing in where most fear to tread in order to save their world and their lady loves - though many times in my books, the heroines do a good job of fighting alongside their men - from the zombie menace. It's a perfect scenario for a very adventurous love story, in my opinion.

Of course, there's a campy quality to any story where the bad guys are zombies. That's unavoidable. But I hope I've struck a balance between the best traditions of military romance and the pseudo-horror of mad scientists and zombies. I don't write pure horror. It's not my schtick. Never has been. I'm not a fan of horror movies myself, so the focus in my books is definitely on the adventure and the romance with only momentary forays into the horrific. I guess the readers will have the final vote on whether I've accomplished a good balance or not.

Here's a more formal description of my latest book. Hope you like it!

Once Bitten, Twice Dead

March 2010 - Kensington Brava

ISBN: 978-0-7582-4729-2

Thrills, chills, and a smoldering sexy hero combine to unforgettable effect in Bianca D'Arc's irresistible new novel of paranormal romance...

When police officer Sarah Petit investigates a disturbance in an abandoned building, she expects to find a few underage drinkers. Instead, she's attacked by creatures straight out of a horror movie. Waking a week later in a hospital, Sarah is visited by Special Forces soldier Captain Xavier Beauvoir. The zombies who attacked Sarah are the result of military research gone terrifyingly wrong, and Sarah's immunity to the virus makes her the perfect person to help Xavier eradicate them. But his smooth Cajun accent, whiskey-colored eyes, and dizzying kiss are risky to her in a very different way.

Sarah attracts danger like a magnet -- and the smart, fearless cop attracts Xavier too, instilling a bone-deep need that's undermining his steady façade. Enlisting her aid is a necessary gamble, but vicious undead creatures are not the only enemy they face. And the only way to keep each other safe is to trust in an instant connection that could be their greatest strength--or the perfect way to destroy them both...

Read an Excerpt

Amazon print version
Amazon Kindle version

As a special thank you to readers, Bianca is giving away a prize pack of SWAG and romance books. (For details on the prize, check out her blog contest page.) All you have to do to enter is send an email with OBTD Blog Contest in the subject line to BIANCADARC at gmail dot com, with your mailing address, before March 31st, 2010. The drawing will be held April 1st and the winner will be announced on her blog at http://biancadarc.com/blog/.

Of Butterflies, Pages, Pretty Pictures and Paperbacks

I'm doing some catching up/housekeeping today.

Congratulations, Deidre!

First off, huge huge congratulations to guest blogger Deidre Knight.  Deidre's Butterfly Tattoo was awarded this year's Best Contemporary Romance EPIC Award.  The EPICs are awarded by the Electronically Published Internet Connection organization--the awards were handed out during their conference in New Orleans while everyone else watched the Oscars.

Changes on the Blog

You may have noticed a couple changes I've made to the blog.  Blogspot has created "Pages" which means bloggers can have multiple pages to their blog similar to WordPress.  I've added three extra pages so far (see them up at the top beneath the banner?)  One is for My Books (those that are already released), as well as one for soon-to-be released books and my Free Reads page where you'll find trailers and buy links or download links, links to excerpts*, and any other information I think you may need.

*I've also created a blog specifically for excerpts.  This will be where you can find excerpts both of my books and any guest excerpts from here on in.  That's in response to the poll I did a while back about whether you read excerpts.  Some of you reminded me that you read the blog at work and some of the excerpts aren't safe for work, so I've created that blog specifically so you can go to the excerpts at your leisure.  You cannot leave comments there, though you can leave a "rating" as such.

Isn't it purty?

I got the word yesterday that I may officially post the cover to Texas Tangle. So you may have already noticed it's up on my sidebar, and it's on the "Coming Soon" page as well.  But here it is again, just because it's so darned purty.  (Also on the Coming Soon page is the blurb, and a link to an excerpt over on my Excerpts blog--although if you read the Snippet Saturday post, you've read it already.)

And how did this last piece of news get dropped to the bottom?  Let's just say I saved the best til last...

Personal Protection is now officially out in print

Woohoo! 

It actually was released last week but I couldn't find a place to fit in the plug. So here it is.  Don't like to read e-books on your computer? Don't have an e-book reader? Like the feel of an actual paperback in your hands?  Now you can purchase your very own print copy of Personal Protection and find out what type of woman can tame Sam Watson.

Read the excerpts here and here.  Or you can read more on my website.

Available to purchase in print from Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk, the Book Depository.com, the Book Depository.co.uk, Barnes and Noble, Borders or through IndieBound.

Or buy a digital copy from:

My Bookstore and More, All Romance eBooks, Fictionwise, Barnes and Noble and most other ebook providers.

Okay, here's where I heave a big sigh.  If you're Canadian, Chapters/Indigo books are NOT carrying at the moment. While they do stock some Samhain books, for some strange reason (I think it's because a) I don't have a NY contract, and b) Samhain's distributor is not Canadian), it's not on the website, it's not in their stores. You can go bug their people and ask for them to put it on their website, or order it for you, I have no idea what their response will be. *sob* I'll never be able to go into a bookstore and see my book on the shelf.  You can order it from The Book Depository (remember they don't charge shipping to Canada, no matter the size of the order), or Amazon.ca (except Amazon.CA is ALREADY out of stock and they won't have more copies until April. I ordered a copy back in November and they've delayed MY order. *more sobs*) 

If you do ever happen to see it in a brick-and-mortar bookstore, could you be kind enough to snap a photo of it for me and email it to me? I'll have to live vicariously through you. And you may just get a prezzie in the mail from me...

Reviews for Personal Protection

5 Heart Review from The Romance Studio:

Once again, Ms. Braemel demonstrates her ability to create a vibrantly refreshing story that sizzles with a burning sensuality, all with a depth of emotions that will unlock the reader's hidden desires. Personal Protection weaves a compelling and intriguing tale layered with an edge of incredibly intense conspiracy that is sure to have the reader's interest captured. ...Sam and Rosie's sexy shenanigans scorch the pages, offering enough spice and erotic love play, including a touch of BDSM thrills, that is so vividly described it is spellbinding. The ending showcases the author's wickedly devilish sense and humor along with her emotionally intense and heart-wrenching sense of the healing power of love will touch every part of the reader's heart.

This is a delightful tale of deception and passion that is sure to stand the test of time. 

~Shannon, The Romance Studio 

5 star review from Beautiful Reads:

…a fun and sultry ride from the author’s warning to the very climactic ending. The kinks of the BSDM life are brought to the pages in tantalizing bites while the overlying erotic love of the two are entwined with emotion and humor … the dialogue and interactions between the two main characters and the staff of Hauberk Protection kept me entertained throughout. This was more than a delectable and arousing romp, and I highly recommend this book.

~ Beautiful Reads

5 Blue Ribbon Review from Romance Junkies

...impossible to forget...incite the imagination...I’ve developed a real fondness for so many of these characters

~Chrissy, Romance Junkies

MC Halliday: Name your favorite historical era and win!

We all have preferences in book and film genres, and I often wonder why some are more appealing than others (other than ‘we’re all different’). I suppose an interest can be sparked by an inspiring educator or family member, other times we might simply possess a burning need to know more about a subject in particular. In my case, it is an interest that was sparked early by my grandparents and continues to burn bright: history.

Regaled with tales of World War I and lower class life in Victorian/Edwardian England, I grew up fascinated with the past. And not just of Britain but Egypt and Africa, India and Germany, France and Russia. I have read Tolstoy, Anthony Trollope and Somerset Maugham, and other brilliant authors with fabulous tales in history. Any era is of interest me ranging from Ancient, Medieval to the Late Modern period. Every country has witnessed changing dynasties, experienced wars and murder for power and gain. But it is also the stories of average daily life for the survivors of these times that intrigue me. For instance, hundreds of Scots choose to live in subterranean city tunnels for centuries. They were not ley tunnels but an actual underground city with bustling black market commerce and adequate housing…and they still exist today. Fascinating!

Many more of these underground cities were created as ley tunnels; dug and constructed for daily living and document preservation during war. Although some were only bunkers; simple one room shelters for locals seeking refuge from bombing and I visited one of these as a child, stumbling across the open entrance in the middle of a forest while on a rabbit shoot with my grandfather. There were remnants of the occupants still there after decades, and the memory of the bits and pieces in the dark, desolate place remains with me.

I may one day write about a woman in the past dwelling underground! But for now, my newly released book is a tale of a woman above ground: I CAME UP STAIRS reveals the Victorian history I was made privy to through personal accounts and supplemented by keen research. And my Irish medieval fantasy novel, THE KING’S DAUGHTER, is a journey into a time that I felt a keen desire to explore, and create a history in which Druids continued past their disappearance.

Do you delight in being completely and thoroughly transported into the past? Which period in time is most fascinating to you?



An answer chosen from comments will have a choice between two novels as shown below, and the winner will be randomly selected by our gracious host, Leah Braemel. The contest ends March 10th and will be announced here on the 11th.



I Came Up Stairs: A Victorian Courtesan’s Memoirs 1867~1871, in pdf format

Word count: 88,550

Historical Erotica, 5 flames: f/m, f/f, m/m/f, f/f/f

Eternal Press

~The erotic adventures of an enchanting seductress

Led from filth and poverty by a gentleman in the hopes of gaining coin for his purse, Mae is shaped into a lady and tutored in the arts of pleasure. With raw sensuality, she creates a seductive dance that entices the peerage in puritanical England, and she quickly becomes favored courtesan to Prince of Wales. Her renown and riches ever rising, she continues to romp with gamely men and women of both the nobility and the lower classes. Eventually, Mae’s bohemian ways cause suffering for those she loves and her own heartbreak. Must she conform to Victorian mores, or can she remain true to her sensual desires?

These intimate memoirs reveal a young woman’s journey from the slums of Whitechapel to celebrated dancer of the Victorian music hall, and courtesan to the highest peers of the British realm. From the years 1867 to 1871, Mae recounts her varied lovers and false loves, and her heartbreaking losses in a quest for happiness.

Book link: http://www.eternalpress.ca/icameupstairs.html

Or, if medieval fantasy with far less erotica is more your cuppa tea, the winner may select:

The King’s Daughter, in pdf format

Word count: 66,000

Alternate history, Romantic Fantasy, 1 flame f/m

Samhain Publishing


~In a medieval Eire where the Druid legacy survives, the bartered daughter of a clan king struggles in a web of dark spells to save herself ~ and her beloved knight ~ while under the watchful eye of a lough wizard.


997 AD

Magaith is resigned to fulfilling her father's command that she marry the King of Connacht. It is her duty as daughter of the King of Munster, even though she harbors a secret love for her knight protector, Sygtryg. Alas, his honor will not allow him to betray his king, not even for the love of Magaith. His painful duty is to see her safely to the kingdom of Connacht, then not see or speak to her, forever. But as a web of black spells closes in around Magaith, she and Sygtryg join together to thwart the dark forces that would claim her life and gain dominion over all of Eire.

Ahead of her lies a destiny she could never have imagined, a journey in which she must follow ancient Druid pathways, encounter a sleeping dragon, and learn the ritual spells and potions that are hers by right of blood. As the journey grows ever more fraught with mortal pride, desire, jealousy, revenge and even her own terrible blunders, Magaith must risk everything, even Sygtryg's love, to fulfill her destiny and save Eire.

For if the evil wizard who covets her cannot have her, he will see her dead.

Book link: http://samhainpublishing.com/print/the-king-s-daughter-print

Book video: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=authormchalliday#p/u/1/iEKJJ1iEpuE

Good luck to all and happy reading!

MC Halliday lives on an island, in a cottage at the edge of a forest, nestled in a mountain valley. In tranquil surroundings with her dogs at her feet, she pens tales of women through the ages, from contemporary dark mystery to medieval fantasy. No matter the genre, vivid characterizations, surprising revelations and depth-charged plot twists abound in her novels. Tales of women in the past, and our challenges always seem to remain the same…

You can find me and links to my website, or at Facebook or Goodreads

Want a Sneak Peek?

If you're on Facebook, you can friend Carina Press. If you're a Twitter addict, you can follow them. And you should. Because then you get sneak peeks like this one of the cover of my upcoming release Texas Tangle.

Just sayin'...

Snippet Saturday - Lost Loves

Yes! It's Snippet Saturday again. (I've not had any scenes that fell into their suggested categories for a while now.) But this week's theme is Lost Loves. So I'm going to give you a sneak peak into an unedited excerpt from my upcoming release from Carina Press, Texas Tangle. Meet Brett, Dillon, and Nikki ...



Brett Anderson switched off the strobe lights and parked his squad car beside the others. Three other units parked in front of Nikki’s, their lights still flashing, highlighted the trim figure striding back and forth across the lawn her arms wrapped about herself. Where the hell was Dillon and why had he left Nikki alone?

He got out of the car and headed straight for her, ignoring the house for the moment. When he’d recognized the address blasted over the police radio, it had been all he could do not to abandon the accident site out on the highway and head straight here. At least Tiny had been the first responder on scene and had kept him in the loop. “Hey, Nik.”

Nikki’s head snapped up. “Brett!”

She launched herself at him, wrapping her arms about his waist. The fear that had caught him since he’d first heard the call relaxed as he closed his arms around her. “You okay, sweetie?”

“Yeah, it’s just …” She buried her face against his neck, her chest heaving as she struggled to maintain control. If he knew her, it wasn’t an effort to hold back tears but to contain her anger. “Everything I’ve got is gone.”

“I know, Nik. But it’s just things. At least you’re safe.” Tucking her head under his chin, he stroked her back, enjoying the feel of her in his arms. Despite the number of visits he’d made to her place over the years, only in his fantasies had he been able to hold her like this again.

They stood wrapped together for a few minutes, her breathing gradually calming down, her body softening against his. Brett memorized how she fit perfectly against him, then took the time to notice the tinier details like how her braid was probably the width of his wrist, and how it dangled to the small of her back. He fantasized about removing the elastic holding it in place and running his fingers through her hair, freeing it from its bindings. What would it be like to lie beneath her, to feel her hair cascade over his chest?

When she tilted her head back to look at him, he imagined kissing her like he had back in high school.

Not now. Not yet. She’s been victimized. If you make your move now, you’ll never know if she’s turned to you because of you represent safety or if she’s hot for you.

“Tiny thinks Phil took everything.”

“I heard.” When he’d heard Tiny broadcast the B.O.L.O. on Phil, the tow truck drivers had saluted the curse he’d uttered.

“I don’t understand …” She shook her head in confusion and looked toward the house.

Goddamn that lazy bastard. How they could be related was beyond his imagination. Then again of all people, he knew how genes didn’t carry the best—or the worst—traits between family members. Thank God for small mercies. “Honey, there were no marks on the lock to show someone had broken in. There were no broken windows—”

“No,” she interrupted. “I understand why they think it was him, but what I don’t get is how he could have done this to me, his own sister. I took him in instead of making him live in a halfway house or somewhere with strangers. There must be some other explanation, he must have …”

He cupped her cheek until she looked at him. “It’s not about you. To Phil, it’s about satisfying himself no matter who he hurts.”

She leaned her cheek into his palm, her eyes closing. “What would I do without friends like you?”

Friends? Yeah, he’d tried to stay her friend. When he’d come back from college, it had hurt to see her in town with her husband, to be reminded of what he’d lost. A couple months after he’d joined the Barnett County police and he’d discovered her husband receiving a blow job from town slut Patsy Schrader in the grocery store parking lot, it had just about killed him not to warn her. Or the next time when he’d caught them flagrante delicto in the back seat of Patsy’s van. Or the next.

When she’d finally kicked the sorry bastard out the year before, he figured he’d have another chance. But every time he’d checked on her since, she’d been oblivious to why he was visiting. Instead she’d announced she was determined to make it on her own and spurned all his help.

But maybe now … maybe they could pick up where they’d left off ten years before. He moved a half step closer and she didn’t step away. Instead she continued to look up at him, her lips slightly parted. Inviting him to kiss her. He bent his head until the brim of his hat brushed the top of her head.

A throat cleared on the porch. “Hey, Anderson, you get that accident scene cleared up?”

Stifling a sigh, Brett pulled back. On the porch, Tiny rocked on his heels, one eyebrow raised. Shit. There went the professional rating on his next review. Then he saw Dillon standing in the shadows, arms folded across his chest. Shitfuck.

When Dillon stepped into the light, he couldn’t miss his friend’s narrowed eyes. Nor could he miss the heat in them when they turned on Nikki. Shitfuckdamn.

You’ve been down this road before. Remember that fiasco? It’s Dillon’s chance with Nikki this time. Not that either of them had ended up with her back in high school, but he wasn’t prepared to lose Dillon or the Barnetts. Not again.

He dropped his arms from Nikki, and stepped back. “Hey, Dill. Nik, I gotta go help Tiny here. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”



Don't forget to visit the other Snippet Saturday participants:

Emma Petersen
TJ Michaels
Ashley Ladd
Lissa Matthews
McKenna Jeffries
Shelli Stevens
Mari Carr
Lauren Dane
Vivian Arend
Elisabeth Naughton
Juliana Stone
Shelley Munro

Quick Six with Tawny Weber

I'm over at Tawny Weber's blog today. I had the privilege of meeting Tawny in Dallas back in 2007 (not that she'd remember it at ALL--I was one of many who she met while she was taking part in the RWA Literary booksigning.)  I made it a point to stop off and buy her book, Double Dare, and thank her.  I thanked her because Tawny belongs to the Black Diamonds Romance Writers group. They'd run a contest that year asking for writers to submit the first paragraph of their manuscript.  That was the very first writing contest I'd ever entered. I didn't win, but I placed in the top ten which was very special because her group very generously offered critiques of the first chapters to the writers of the top ten paragraphs.  I learned a LOT from that critique. So much so, that my next manuscript (Private Property) sold. As did the next one (Personal Protection). And the next one (Texas Tangle) will be released by Carina Press this summer.

So I'm thrilled to be appearing on Tawny's blog now as one of her guest authors.  Oh, and don't forget that Tawny is also a member of the Romance Bookmark Yahoo loop -- the no promo loop to discuss your love of books, or anything else that is going on in your life.

Curly's evolution

1991
Hmm, no curls there.
Okay, so Gizmo Guy has a few curls, but Curly wasn't Curly back then.

1992
Ah! There they are!

1993

 

1993

1996

They're still there, but they're harder to find now

2006

Can you believe how much he grew that year?

And what the heck happened to his curls--yes, that haircut made me very sad.

2007

Formal for an orchestra recital

(he plays violin, flute, saxophone & guitar)

Yay, the curls are back!

2009

Back at Disneyworld, stealing Pooh's honey!
(Yes, I made the requisite joke about him having his hand in a honeypot)

Yes, he's very sweet. As these girls discovered ;)

Hmm, they're not so sweet to be pushing him to the back ...

Maybe because his curls are gone again?

Happy Birthday, Curly

Now no one will question how you got your nickname on my blog.

Why is Kelly Jamieson 2 Hot 2...Google?

Okay I’ve been blogging all over the place promoting my latest release 2 Hot 2 Handle (great review from Whipped Cream Erotic Reviews! Over 3 weeks on the MBAM Top 10 bestseller list!) But I’m all blogged out, so this post isn’t about sexy ménage books; in fact this is a post about nothing. Okay it’s about procrastination. Thank you Google for giving me some laughs when I’m trying to avoid writing. Which raises the question: Why do I procrastinate when I love writing so much? Hmm. A blog post for another day.

Anyway, my kids started doing this one night when we were sitting watching TV, all of us with laptops, too. (And cell phones by our sides for incoming text messages. The new wired family time). We were killing ourselves laughing - when you type random searches into Google it’s hilarious to see what the top search topics are. Here are a few I did today just for fun:


Who is…
...the richest person in the world?
...Lady Gaga?
...Taylor Swift dating?


How do I…
...find my IP address?
...love thee?
...know if I’m pregnant?

Why is my…
...poop green (!!!)
...computer so slow
...internet so slow
...eye twitching
...my question mark a é  (Man! That drove me crazy for months until I figured it out! Why didn’t I think to Google it!)

How do you…
...know if a guy likes you
...make out
...know if a girl likes you
...get pink eye
...know if you’re in love

Aw…that’s kind of cute. Well, not the pink eye.

Where is…
...Santa Claus right now
...Haiti
...Chuck Norris
...Tiger Woods

What is the…
...meaning of life
...date today (Okay who has to Google that?)
...smallest country in the world  (Vatican City – I had to look)

You know, if you’re Googling the meaning of life I don’t know whether to be impressed or sorry for you…

Why is the…
...(the)re a dead Pakistani on my couch (I did not make that up)
...sky blue
...(the)re no channel 1
...world going to end in 2012


Why do men…
...have nipples (Admit it, you want to know this. The answer: Apparently nobody really knows. From http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/85/why-do-men-have-nipples “The best explanation I've been able to find (and frankly it doesn't explain very much) is that nipples aren't a sex-linked characteristic. In other words, nipples are just one of those sexually neutral pieces of equipment, like arms or brains, that humans get regardless of sex.”
...cheat
...like breasts    Found this joke: What do model train sets and women's breasts have in common?
Well, both are intended for children, but it's the fathers that always end up playing with them.
...get morning wood

Why do women…
...cheat
...live longer than men
...get wet
...stay in abusive relationships
...like bad boys
...wear thongs

Why…
...read romance  Seriously! This is what came up first! Google has the answer!
http://www.blairbancroft.com/pdf/WhyReadRomance.pdf “...books about men and women who tore through the conventions binding them, surmounted their difficulties, even their personal tragedies, to come out on the other side ready to do what had to be done to find the right person to share their life with. To do what had to be done to make a marriage work.” Yes! I kinda like that!
...can’t I own a Canadian (WTF?)
...do men have nipples  (see above)

Got any funny Google searches to share?

Kelly Jamieson
Romance with sweet heat
http://twitter.com/KellyJamieson

Winners of Deidre Knight's Butterfly Tattoo Contest

The winner of the print copy of Deidre Knight's Butterfly Tattoo is:

Rebecca Jean

The winner of the e-copy is:

Jennifer (Meandi's Corner)

Congratulations, winners. Ladies, please email me at Leah DOT Braemel @ gmail DOT com (without the spaces and periods in place of DOT) to claim your prize. Rebecca, please include your snail mail address so I can forward you your paperback copy. Jennifer, please let me know what format you'd like your ebook in -- HTML, PDF, PDF for Sony, LIT (MS Reader), Mobipocket or Rocketbook.

If the prizes haven't been claimed within seven (7) days, a new winner will be drawn.

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to comment and make Deidre feel so welcome on my blog!  Don't forget for leaving a comment, you're also entered in my monthly Reader Appreciate Draw that will be drawn April 1st.

Winner of February's Reader Appreciation Contest

Mary G

Congratulations, Mary G -- you've won an autographed PRINT copy of Personal Protection! Email me at Leah DOT Braemel @ gmail.com (replacing DOT with a period and removing the spaces) with your snail mail address so I can send it out to you.

There were 126 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. Mary G
2. Cari Quinn
3. SHG
4. Sue A
5. Kimberly Gardner
6. Estella
7. Estella
8. Meandi's corner
9. host
10. host
11. Mindy
12. Estella
13. Cathleen Ross
14. host
15. host
16. flchen1
17. Wylie Kinson
18. Lisa Pietsch
19. Razlover's Book Blog
20. flchen1
21. Estella
22. Bonnie Staring
23. Mary G
24. Cecile
25. Sweet Vernal Zephyr
26. Rebecca Jean
27. Wylie Kinson
28. Estella
29. SHG
30. joder
31. Nature Nut
32. Mariska
33. elaing8
34. s7anna
35. joder
36. Joye
37. GutterBall
38. Lori
39. Mary G
40. Heather Long
41. Kathleen O
42. host
43. elaing8
44. host
45. Cari Quinn
46. Estella
47. glchen1
48. Gina Leigh Maxwell
49. SHG
50. JA Saare
51. Lori
52. Nikki Duncan
53. ritaoberlies
54. RK Charron
55. joder
56. Lindsey
57. Bcteagirl
58. flchen1
59. ARmenia
60. Kimber Chin
61. Kaily Hart
62. Amy Ruttan
63. Aliens
64. Natasha A
65. Maria
66. Lori
67. Wylie Kinson
68. elaing8
69. Joder
70. joder
71. Ann
72. Shelley Munro
73. readericreatedhim
74. Amy Ruttan
75. Amy Ruttan
76. Chelsea B
77. Cari Quinn
78. Natasha A
79. Chandra Ryan
80. elaing8
81. pamk
82. Lynne Roberts
83. Amy Ruttan
84. Book Junkie
85. Kimberley
86. SHG
87. Breia B
88. Book Junkie
89. Krista
90. Lisa Pietsch
91. Marley Delarose
92. Estella
93. Cathleen Ross
94. Kim Smith
95. iokijo
96. Cari Quinn
97. host
98. Kathleen O
99. elaing8
100. s7anna
101. S7anna
102. Julie
103. Bridget
104. Elaine Hopper
105. joder
106. Lori
107. Joyce
108. Lori
109. glchen1
110. Mary G
111. host
112. iajam-e
113. Maureen McGowan
114. Natasha A
115. flchen1
116. Estella
117. Wylie Kinson
118. Jane
119. s7Anna
120. Amy Ruttan
121. Shelley Munro
122. joder
123. joder
124. host
125. Stephanie
126. Heather Long

Timestamp: 2010-03-01 14:25:57 UTC