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The Goddess Inheritance Blog Tour: On Ending a Series, by Aimée Carter + Giveaway
MIRA Editors Talk New Year’s Resolutions
by Michelle Vendetti, Editorial Assistant
Well, we’re officially one month into 2013…right around the time when most of us are either feeling pretty positive about our New Year’s resolutions or ready to toss them out the window entirely. We asked a few of the MIRA editors to weigh in on how they were managing with their resolutions so far…
Kate Studer, Editorial Assistant: I’ve been trying to focus on the big picture more and not let little details get in the way. Returning to work after maternity leave has put me in a position where I suddenly have a busier-than-ever schedule and I can’t afford to sweat the small stuff.
One month in, I don’t think I’ve even had time to sweat the small stuff! But it’s been going well. I’m staying focused on what matters most each and every day (which sometimes changes day to day!)and the little things that used to bother me (“Why are there dirty socks on stairs?”) aren’t allowed more than a fleeting thought. I think my days would be a lot more stressful if I wasn’t making more of an effort to let the little things go.
Paula Eykelhof, Executive Editor: My first resolution is to make some resolutions–haven’t actually done that yet. Although I have vague ideas and even vaguer plans and some really nice little notebooks to write them in…once they’re formulated. One for sure will be my usual: De-cluttering. At home, at work. Just need to get some specifics down. Can’t do it today, though. Have to get back to the terrific new Brenda Novak book I’m editing…
Erika Imranyi, Senior Editor: Everyone knows that editors are married to their jobs, so my resolution this year is to find better work-life balance, so I can spend more time with my real husband, and maybe work on those other resolutions like using my gym membership and cooking at home more. Have I stuck to it? If only there were as many hours in the day as there are pages in a manuscript…
Michelle Venditti, Editorial Assistant: I only made one resolution this year (it just seemed more achievable to dream small this time around). So for 2013, I’ve resolved, if you can believe it, to read more. The caveat? I need to read more for pleasure. When you work in editorial, you spend a solid amount of every workday reading and editing manuscripts. By the time you get home, the idea of “relaxing” with a good book can feel dangerously close to working. But I’ve found that once I push past my initial desire to veg in front of the TV all night, the pure joy of getting lost in a tension-filled, page-turner of a novel is one of the best ways to spend an evening.
How am I doing so far? Well, I’m about to start my third “pleasure read” of the year, and it’s still January! So I’d say so far, so good.
What are your resolutions for 2013, and have you stuck with them so far?
Harlequin Blog News Round Up: January 24, 2013
Each week we post the best news coming out of Harlequin and Carina Press. Usually it means a few sales. 
But there’s also free books, contests, community spotlights and the latest video-in-convos with our authors and book trailers to check out.
Find out what’s behind the curtain below.
Harlequin Presents…on a Budget
Escape into stories of intrigue and exotic locations. Purchase Harlequin Presents for 40% off for a limited time only.
See what’s on sale at Harlequin.com. This offer excludes ebooks.
Do you have the perfect pitch?
Harlequin Romance author Donna Alward is offering a mentorship to one lucky writer who dreams of publishing a novel–but you need to have the perfect pitch!
Visit the Harlequin Community to participate. You’ll gain Donna as a mentor and sounding board for 2013. This is Donna’s third time hosting this contest and both of her past winners have gone on to sign contracts at Harlequin.
So what are you waiting for? Get pitching!
Harlequin Book Trailer: Winning Moves by Lisa Renee Jones
America’s hottest dance reality TV show is taking the show on the road with a three-month tour, followed by a year-long run at a Vegas Hotel. All they need is a new choreographer. Someone experienced, who will shake things up. Someone like dancer Kat Moore…who just happens to be the ex-wife of the show’s director, Jason Alright!
Watch the sizzling dance moves unfold in the exclusive trailer for this brand-new Harlequin Blaze from author Lisa Renee Jones.
Meet Kowalski Number Six: Josh
Josh Kowalski is finally free to chase some dreams of his own. But could it be that everything he’s ever wanted is closer than he could have imagined…?
New York Times bestselling author Shannon Stacey is back with a brand-new tale in the Kowalskis series—All He Ever Dreamed. She reminded us how to fall in love with a Kowalski this past Monday.
If you haven’t read the series yet, get started today with book one—Exclusively Yours—for FREE!
Spotlight on Harlequin Superromance
Not sure if you’ve noticed, but there’s a something a little different about Harlequin Superromance these days. Yes, we have beautiful new covers…but there’s something else. The stories are longer! That means more romance, more story, more characters in every Superromance novel.
And the authors are definitely delivering that more. See what we’ve got to offer this month!
In THE OTHER SIDE OF US by Sarah Mayberry some canine hijinks bring together two people who have romance as the last thing on their minds. But you know…where the dogs lead, the humans must follow!
With A HOMETOWN BOY Janice Kay Johnson delivers a deeply moving story about a community healing from a tragedy. The romance at the heart of this book shows how hope and optimism can carry us through…and how we should never give up on that teenage sweetheart.
Kimberly Van Meter wraps up her Family in Paradise miniseries with SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN. Spend some more time with the Bell sisters and read what happens when to fling—and those plans for the future—when there’s a baby involved!
Debut author Jennifer McKenzie writes about an entertainment reporter who definitely does not have a thing for her boss. Until they go on assignment at a film festival, that is. Read what happens in THAT WEEKEND…
When the heroine of Vicki Essex’s BACK TO THE GOOD FORTUNE DINER reluctantly returns home, not everything is as she expected it to be. That’s especially true for the guy she used to tutor!
If you’ve been reading Tara Taylor Quinn’s It Happened in Comfort Cove miniseries, then you know the missing child case is close to being solved. Don’t miss THE TRUTH ABOUT COMFORT COVE for the answers and a surprising romance, too.
As you can see there are a lot of great stories to be excited about with Superromance. Be sure to check them out then tell us what you think.
Comfort Zones
by Liz Fichera, author of Hooked (Harlequin Teen)
As an author, you learn quickly that you can’t write a book that everyone will love. When you write characters that are outside of your race, gender, cultural background and your own life experiences, it becomes even more complicated. When the latter happens, readers can become hypercritical, sometimes even suspicious.
Write what you know? That’s what a lot of the experts caution. Me? I say, push the boundaries and learn and write about what you don’t know. As a reader, I’m much more interested in stories with characters who are different from me, who live in places where I’ve never lived, who think thoughts that I haven’t considered. I’m the same way as a writer. Why would I only want to read and write about white, middle-class women who grew up in the Midwestern United States?
I happen to enjoy writing stories with Native American characters. I live in the American Southwest, having moved to Phoenix, Arizona, from Chicago shortly after graduating from college. I’m surrounded by Native American cultures like the Hohokam, Gila, Pima, Navajo and Hopi, to name just a handful. I’m fascinated by their history, their legends. Frankly, when you look at history, it’s a wonder that these cultures have survived at all, and it’s a testament to the strength and spirit of the Native American people that they still do.
That said, it would be foolish to write a character with life experiences different from your own without doing your homework and research. If writing a historical story, there are perhaps museums and history books to refer to. When writing contemporaries, it becomes more of a challenge. You rely heavily on personal observations and your critique partners who, hopefully, have lived the culture and characters you’re attempting to project on your pages.
When I decided to write a young adult contemporary called Hooked, I knew that I was going to have to extensively research the Gila River Indian Community, life on the reservation, and if that wasn’t enough, the sport of golf. My life is fuller for having done the research, not to mention gaining Native American beta readers, several of whom I now count as close friends. Regarding golf? Unfortunately, my swing hasn’t improved very much, but I still love the sport.
And I’d do it all over again in a second, pushing myself out of my comfort zone, and wouldn’t change a thing.
Hooked is available from Harlequin Teen on January 29, 2013. Follow Liz on her blog tour
for more information and a chance to win a grand prize pack, including a copy of Hooked.
How to Fall in Love with a Kowalski
by Shannon Stacey
The release of All He Ever Dreamed nicely rounds out the six-pack of Kowalski men readers first met in Exclusively Yours. Joe, Kevin, Sean, Mitch, Ryan, and now Josh have found women who turned their lives upside down and put them through the emotional wringer on their way to the forever kind of love.
Carina Press.
Writing the Unwritten: An Interview with Vicki Essex
Everville, New York—it’s the town where Tiffany Cheung grew up, and the last place she wants to be. But after losing her job in Manhattan, that’s exactly where she finds herself.
Superromance author Vicki Essex is not a typical romance novelist. She’s not afraid to turn unusual pairings into compelling stories. Her debut novel Her Son’s Hero was about a woman falling for an MMA–Mixed Martial Arts–fighter, despite her aversion to violence.
In Back to the Good Fortune Diner, Vicki tells the story of an interracial couple. I asked her about the novel, her family history, Jeremy Renner and scotch.
You set your book in a family-owned diner. Your own family runs a hardware store in Toronto’s historic Kensington Market. Tools and chicken balls aren’t the same thing, but running a family business must have influenced your story. Any wacky relatives (or quirks from your own family) make it into BTTGFD?
There were a few details I managed to insert into the book. My Cantonese language skills are subpar, unfortunately, so I incorporated the way the heroine, Tiffany, would hear her parents, and understand about 75 percent of what they were saying. The translations are vague, not word-for-word. And the escalating volume of conversations was something I picked up from my family’s interactions with customers and each other. It frequently sounds like they’re arguing when really, they’re just talking VERY LOUDLY.
As for the family members themselves, I cobbled them together from bits of friends and their relatives, stories I’ve heard, neighbors and acquaintances. The process wasn’t much different from the way I construct other characters.
You and your husband are open about the differences in your family backgrounds. I remember a post that he contributed to the Ethnic Aisle about dating a Chinese woman that opened my eyes to the kind of stereotypes and assumptions that exist over interracial marriage and dating. Was it difficult to weave this into the story?
It was challenging. I was mindful of ensuring that the hero, Chris, did not fall for Tiffany based solely on her looks or ethnic attributes. It’s easy to fall into patterns of describing multicultural characters as “exotic-looking” with “almond-shaped eyes,” and “delicate skin the color of…” etc. I didn’t want that for my book. This was a pure romance, and it had to play out the same way any romance would, no matter what the characters’ cultural backgrounds were.
That idea really hit home when I talked to one young lady, who was Asian, at the Word on the Street book fair in Toronto where I was promoting BTTGFD. She asked me why I had to pair an Asian woman with a white guy, and proceeded to tell me how she was sick of guys with “yellow fever.”
I don’t think any woman wants to be fetishized for their skin color or some physical attribute. They want to be loved for who they are.
As my husband pointed out, this is an issue especially among Asian women dating men outside their race. I don’t think any woman wants to be fetishized for their skin color or some physical attribute. They want to be loved for who they are. That’s why it was important to ground the romantic conflict in the personal self-identities of the hero and heroine, and make the cultural aspect secondary. It meant I had to incorporate a kind of color blindness in Chris, which was tricky because not recognizing cultural differences can be almost as detrimental as over-awareness to an interracial relationship. It’s a fine balancing act. That’s what made the secondary plot interesting for me to write—it’s almost the opposite of what Tiffany and Chris are going through.
Silly question time: You love Scotch. Scotchy-Scotchy-Scotch. What’s your favourite kind?
I haven’t tried enough brands to say at this point! I’ve enjoyed Macallan’s 18. At home, I usually have Jamieson’s Irish Whiskey and Maker’s Mark bourbon. I’m also a fan of Knob Creek bourbon. When I’m at a nice bar, though, I’ll usually try what they’ve got on the top shelf. I’d like to go to a real Scotch and whiskey tasting at some point in my life. (I can write that off on my tax forms as research, right?)
One more silly question: #rennererection is a thing (I think) you’ve coined on Twitter. Has Jeremy Renner noticed and, if not, why not? Has anyone else started to use it? And do you have a favourite GIF to exemplify the hashtag?
To be fair, the hash tag was coined by a friend of my husband’s, but I think I’m the one who put it into (un)common use. Rennerection was rejected by UrbanDictionary.com as an entry (though you’ll note that Fassboner was accepted), so I’m trying to spread it around for wider use.
As for the venerable Mr. Renner, he’s not officially on Twitter, from what I understand, so I doubt he’s aware. And if he has noticed it, I’m sure he’s alternatively embarrassed, befuddled, ecstatic, titillated and perhaps a little miffed at being fetishized himself. But he strikes me as the kind of guy who doesn’t have time for internet memes.
If he ever did write me and say, “You’re hilarious,” I’d probably do this:
Then stare at his email like this:
Final question: What’s next for you? Do you wait in between books to start something new or have plot bunnies begun building new warrens in your brain yet?
I’m currently working on my third book, which will go back to the world of mixed martial arts. The story features a female MMA fighter training to go pro with wrestling coach Kyle Peters, who appeared in Her Son’s Hero. I suspect that might be released in 2014. I hope to go back to Everville soon, though—it’s a town that’s seeing a lot of changes, and I know there are stories there to be told. And because I like to stay busy, I’m also having a YA Western fantasy novel critiqued right now, and hope to shop it around to agents this year.
Learn more about Vicki and her books at www.vickiessex.com. You can also find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/vickiessexauthor and on Twitter @vickiessex.
Pippa’s First Date of the Year
Pippa Hearts Presents
The journey of one (relatively) young, single girl’s romance with Harlequin Presents!
by Editorial Assistant Pippa Roscoe
Friday,11th January
7.10 am – Panic! Suddenly, blind date arranged on New Year’s Eve is not feeling like such a good idea! What am I going to wear?!
7.30 am – Furiously pack half my wardrobe into bag to take to work – need girls’ opinion before exposing un-vetted clothes on unsuspecting date.
8.30am – Beg colleague to go for drink before date to ‘re-educate’ me on dating do’s and don’ts.
13.00pm – Phone a friend, receive positive reinforcement of progressive plans for finding Mr Presents.
17.30 – After trying on complete semi-portable wardrobe and chosen ‘the dress’, drag colleague out of the office with promise of a G&T if she can tell me rules # 1- 5 for first dates.
18.30 – Arrive at friend’s birthday, having only gotten to rule # 2, ‘Have fun with it’ (which was said with no sense of irony – she’s not single ).
18.32 – Clock the ‘date’.
Now, I have to say – the rules about making your mind up within 15 minutes? Not true. On average I would say that it takes me 30 seconds. But then that’s probably why my mother calls me judgmental. But it’s the beginning of the new year, I’m determined to mend my ways, and I want to give it the full weight of my consideration.
It took me 5 minutes.
Firstly – he’s a lovely guy. He really is. (Already I can hear the groans from anyone reading this.) He just isn’t right for me. But the Presents heroine in me isn’t ready to give up yet!
In the bar the tables are pushed back and behind us are were couples swing dancing, rocker-billy dancing, the music is GREAT. So now I let you in to a little secret – about 6 years ago I went to a few swing dancing lessons and finally they’re going to pay off. But here I am, standing around the edges of the dance floor – waiting for a guy to ask me to dance.
I caught his eyes from across the room… he started making his way towards me, cutting through the other dancers with ease, side-stepping a particularly lively couple, and as he neared me he held out his hand…
Okay – so he was 75 yrs old and wearing a sailor’s hat – it was still the best dance of the night! Being held by a man who knows how to lead is a revelation! With the charm of Sean Connery and the magnetism of Harrison Ford, I was under his spell. And for two dances that night, I caught a glimpse into the futures of our Presents Heroes.
And although this date didn’t quite work out, it doesn’t mean the next one won’t. This is the year of ‘the date’, and I’m on a mission to go on one a month until I do find Mr Presents. And in the meantime? I might just head down to that bar again and see if the Captain would like another turn on the dance floor.
So ladies, tell me – have you ever set your friends up with a blind date? And more importantly, did it ever work!!
PS, glasses are off, contacts are in!! New Year’s Resolution #1 is done!!
Robyn Carr’s The Wanderer Cover Reveal
Wandering man Hank Cooper landed himself on the Oregon coast, in Robyn Carr’s new series Thunder Point. There he found rocky beaches, rugged charm and Sarah Dupre.
The setting begged to be photographed for the cover of book one, The Wanderer, so the Harlequin team, lead by Art Director Gigi Lau flew to the west coast to make it happen.
They shared their experience with the Harlequin Blog.
Why did you shoot on location?
The way Robyn described the rugged setting of Thunder Point, I just knew that capturing it on site would really encapsulate that strong, weathered environment that is so special with Robyn’s books.
Tell us about the model who played Hank Cooper
Jeremy Cartwright is based in Portland, Oregon. We did a Skype interview to get a sense of his personality and openness with the camera. He was a great model to travel with and he learned quite a bit from the stylist on what stores he should be shopping from. He also has an identical twin.
From L-R: Gigi Lau, Art Director, Luisa Duran, Hair & Make up, Joanne Ferraro, Photographer Assistant, Michael Alberstat, Photographer, Laura DiMarcantonio, Stylist, Naomi Finlay, Associate Photographer & Producer
The Wanderer is available from Harlequin MIRA on March 26, 2013.
Lynne Graham’s “A Ring to Secure His Heir” is a USA TODAY Bestseller!
by Amy Wilkins, Harlequin Digital
Harlequin Blog News Round Up: January 17, 2013
Each week we post the best news coming out of Harlequin and Carina Press. Usually it means a few sales. But there’s also free books, contests, community spotlights and the latest video-in-convos and with our authors and book trailers to check out.
Find out what’s behind the curtain below.
Wherever you are, Debbie takes you home….
Settle back with some favorite Debbie Macomber stories in EBOOK format! We’ve released several of her classic stories onto ebook, including Baby Blessed, Marriage of Convenience, My Hero and Stand-In Wife.
Instantly download them from Harlequin.com.
Welcome to the Deals Spot!
There really is nothing better than a great deal. Ask anyone!
Take for example Harlequin’s Deals Spot where we share all of our best deals–including FREE books.
Harlequin KISS–Flirting as an art form!
Harlequin KISS stories are all about the delirium of a potential new romance—where fun-loving heroines and irresistible heroes just can’t get enough of each other.
Browse the collection on Harlequin.com.
And don’t forget you can try it out with a free copy of Mira Lyn Kelly’s Waking Up Married.
Carina Press New Releases
With new titles available for download every week, visit this page to plan your shopping for the month. You’re sure to find a story you’ll love, all priced at our everyday extra 10% off the ePrice!
P.S. Shop our presale titles—buy upcoming titles now and download on the street date!
Returning to a series… The good, the fun, and the terrifying! by Rhyannon Byrd + Giveaway
Harlequin Photo Shoot Challenge on Last Night’s Episode of The Bachelor
Did you get a chance to see The Bachelor last night? Creative Director Margie Miller and Harlequin Brand Representative Michelle Renaud were at the shoot. They answered a few questions for us and shared an exclusive behind-the-scenes picture.
Click on the Continue Reading link!
What was your experience like to be on set?
It was a great experience spending the day with the entire crew. We are used to shooting for covers for print, so working with a TV crew was really exciting.
We shot the episode in a sprawling mansion in Bel-Air, which provided us with multiple locations to set up the different scenarios.
It was really fast paced, so we had to be efficient with our time.
I was really impressed with the enthusiasm of the girls and their willingness to jump into character. They are all beautiful and did a fantastic job.
It was really cool to be in a real-life situation for the creation of a cover. Most of the time we work with models who have only met ten minutes prior to the shoot and then have to look like they are in love. This time, we saw the possible beginnings of love and it was very cool to witness that. Their interaction was so different from a typical cover shoot. Makes my job a lot easier!
Sean is a great looking guy – perfect for a Harlequin cover! He was also a great sport about everything.
But what better way to get to know someone than throw them into an intimate situation with someone?!
Are you excited about the new model that was chosen for future book covers?
Yes, very happy. She’s a great girl – beautiful and very sexy, and has a real talent for emoting that on camera.
What impressed you the most about the shoot?
The amount of thought and detail that goes into everything and the authenticity of the emotion between the participants. The professionalism of everyone.
I was most impressed with the enthusiasm of all of the girls and Sean, who is a true gentleman.
Entertainment Weekly.
Exclusive Cover Reveal: I’ll Be Seeing You
Some skills are a dying breed, like the act of writing a handwritten letter. But back during World War II, receiving a letter was a treasure in some of life’s bleakest moments. That’s the story behind I’ll Be Seeing You by Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan–a novel about communication and friendship at a very pivotal time in history.
We’re revealing the cover today! Click on the Continue Reading link below to see it.
From the back cover:
“I hope this letter gets to you quickly. We are always waiting, aren’t we? Perhaps the greatest gift this war has given us is the anticipation…”
You might think this is a typical “letters to your love on the homefront” story, but it’s not. It’s January 1943 when Rita Vincenzo receives her first letter from Glory Whitehall. Glory is an effervescent young mother, impulsive and free as a bird. Rita is a sensible professor’s wife with a love of gardening and a generous, old soul. Glory comes from New England society; Rita lives in Iowa, trying to make ends meet. They have nothing in common except one powerful bond: the men they love are fighting in a war a world away from home.
Cover designer Quinn Banting sourced letters sent during WWII to make the correspondence on the cover more authentic. The model’s hair and makeup were given the distinct 1940s look and it was important to add sunflowers as well–they are a significant component to the story. Ultimately the cover was designed to tell the reader that this is a story about handwritten communication.
Quinn shared photos with the blog of the WWII era letters that they used for the cover.
I especially love this photo:
Do you write letters and send them to friends? Is there a difference between a handwritten letter and an email?
The novel comes out May 28, 2013. As you ruminate these questions, you should also take the time to listen to Billie Holiday sing “I’ll Be Seeing You”. It’s definitely in the spirit of the novel. Happy Monday, everyone! 