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**Do you have news you'd like to share with our visitors? Then please send your announcements to news@ck2skwipsandkritiques.com and we'll post them on our site here. ~ * ~
From Elaine Corvidae: June 30-July 2, I will be appearing at HeroesCon, in Charlotte, NC. This year is going to be the biggest con yet, so if you've never been, this would be a good year to come. You can find out more about the con here: http://heroesonline.com/con-update.htm ~ * ~
From Lori Handeland: ~ * ~
IMPORTANT NEWS FROM INARA PRESS
It’s with a heavy heart that I’m emailing you today. After a great deal of thought and soul-searching, Dawn Seewer and I have decided to close Inara Press. We're both devastated about this, because we love this company, and we love our authors and staff. It breaks our heart to have to close our doors, but it's become a tremendous personal and financial strain for us, and we both feel that it’s in the best interest of everyone that we cut our losses now and try to salvage what’s left of marriages, pocketbooks and friendships. After June 30, 2006, all contracts with Inara Press will be terminated, and rights to stories and artwork will revert to the authors and artists. We will provide all Seron Serials’ subscribers with the remaining installments of the titles so that each receives the complete story, as paid for. We will notify readers of our closure, and will advise them to save all of their purchased files from their bookshelves to their personal computers. Our site will be taken down as of July 1. We’ll be announcing our intention to close today and tomorrow, not only to our newsletter subscribers but also to review sites and any other industry related contacts we’ve made over the past few months. I will be contacting individual venues with whom we have advertising or promotional events, like chats, reserved by the end of the weekend in order to personally cancel. Dawn and I sincerely appreciate all of the help and support that your organizations have provided to us since our opening in April. We would like to request that although reviews for our titles be removed, you please not discard or delete them if at all possible. We have a fantastic family of extraordinarily talented authors, and I'm sure none of them will have any trouble finding a good, new home for their work -- so you'll be hearing from them and these titles again soon! I’m sure this comes as a shock to you, and may seem sudden. I do apologize for having to bring you this news and assure you that it's the culmination of a lot of discussion and tears. But in the end Dawn and I have to do what we believe is in the best interest not only of the company but also of our families. We thank you sincerely again for all of your support and assistance. All my best, Sara Reinke Dawn
Seewer, Publisher ~ * ~
News from Rebecca Goings: I also have several appearances coming soon. Check out my schedule for details. ~ * ~
News from Donna Grant: The newsletter contest I started last month has been a big hit. In June, I will draw a name for the chance to win a print book from Jane Toombs, Under the Shadow I also run special Blog contests monthly. This past month, I gave away Robin T. Popp's book Out of the Night. Stay tuned to my blog for June's contest!
I have a new page on my website specifically for
readers. ~ * ~
Romance news from Dorchester: ~ * ~
Horror news from
Dorchester: ~ * ~
New publisher! Fire and Ice by Vivienne King: Lumina, princess of the Ice Kingdom. Pyroth, prince of Fire. Reuniting after a ten-month separation, they cannot resist stealing away into the night for a rendezvous of burning sexual passion. What Lumina and Pyroth cannot know is that this night of passion must last them for the next two years. Tourist Attraction by Shelli Stevens: Melanie Kemble goes to Hawaii with two major goals. To get a tan, and to have a fling. Then things take a twist--or at least her ankle does--and she finds herself in the care of a sexy doctor. One who’s more than willing to show her his bedside manner. Rafe’s War: Book 1 Apocalypse Series by Jade James: Archangel Rafe's assignment is twofold; convince Melina Soar to join him eternally, and to protect her against the evil that stalks her. Melina can believe Rafe’s an angel, after all look at the chaos the world is in. He claims she was destined to be his wife, but Melina can’t accept that idea without his love. Fortune’s Fool by Sara Dennis: Valerie was starting over, making a new life with her son after her husband's death. An accidental shooting sent her straight into Dylan's arms, a California Highway Patrolman with skeletons in the closet that he doesn't want to face. Can love put the ghosts of the past to rest? Bound by Love by Loribelle Hunt: Nikki just wants to get out unscathed. From the sex club where she goes to track down an employee, that is. Her old friend and long time admirer, Mack, on the other hand, has something else in mind entirely. Complete submission of her body and soul. ~ * ~ From the Jewels of the Quill:
May Spotlight and Giveaway:
May's winner of an autographed trade paperback copy of SEX,
LIES AND RODEO GAMES by Diana Kirk (Dame Pearl) will be announced on our
website soon. Margaret L. Carter (Dame Onyx) has an article on the STRANGE HORIZONS website called "The Turtle Can't Help Us: The Lovecraft Legacy in Stephen King's IT." To read the article, visit http://www.strangehorizons.com/2005/20051219/king-lovecraft-a.shtml Nancy Pirri (Dame Sapphire) finaled in the online RWA chapter, Hearts Through History contest, with her post WWII novel submission, A WOMAN'S PLACE. (Dame Tanzanite) C.J. Winters' novel, FIRES OF WAR AND WINTER, Book 3 of the Autumn in Cranky Otter Series, took 3rd place in the Missouri Writers' Guild Best Fiction Book, 2005.
The following Dames currently have giveaways up at their
websites: ~ * ~
Ellen Ashe, author of the 2005 Ecataromance Reviewers Choice
Award The Sorcerer's Mark, is hosting a magical summer contest on her yahoo
group
Minds Eye of Dark Fantasy. ~ * ~
The month of June is heating up and so are the hot new
releases from a couple of our Flowers and Hearts authors. Susanne Marie Knight is happy to announce the re-release of her 5 star, 2002 P.E.A.R.L. Award Nominee for Best Time-Travel: TIMELESS DECEPTION, available June 16 at Awe-Struck eBooks. A Regency time switch: Can Alaina convince her new "husband" that she's not the same as his unfaithful wife? Her identity switched against her will, Alaina Sawyer wakes up in the year 1818 as the Countess of Saybrooke. Can she convince the man of her dreams that she is cut from an altogether different cloth than his adulterous wife Alicia? Richard Cransworth, the Earl of Saybrooke, must come to grips with his wife’s sudden descent into virtue. Is her new behavior wishful thinking on his part, or can it possibly be that she is now his, and his alone? Join
Cheri Valmont and her fellow Sexy Authors With Attitude for a July contest.
The winner will win one free download of Author Darragha Foster's Devil
King of the Sixth Heaven, Book One in Teaching Old Gods New Tricks
series. For
the month of June, author Linda McLaughlin is running a "Stay-At-Home
Conference Bag" Contest. She has collected books and promotional material
from the three conferences she attended this spring and packaged them in a
pink Fresh Fiction tote bag for
one lucky winner. Included are mass market romance paperbacks (some
autographed by the author), small promotional items like votive candles,
bookmarks, excerpts, and candy. The items were collected from EPICon2006,
Celebrate Romance, and the recent Romantic Times Booklovers Convention. Win
an Erotica Stay-At-Home Conference Bag! Author Lyndi Lamont has collected
books and promotional material from the three conferences she attended this
spring and packaged them in a tote bag for one lucky winner. Included are:
two trade paperbacks, Secrets, Vol. 10 and Getting Even by
Kayla Perrin, one of the Harlequin Spice launch novels; the 2006 Ellora's
Cavemen Calendar; deck of EC Playing cards and lots of small promotional
items like excerpt CDs, buttons, pens, votive candles, massage oil,
bookmarks, and candy. The items were collected from EPICon2006, Celebrate
Romance, and the recent Romantic Times Booklovers Convention. ~ * ~ From Paula Quinn: From June 1st to July 1st I am pleased to offer one lucky reader a chance to have a read on me. Visit PaulaQuinn.com and answer one trivia question for a chance to win a signed copy of YOUR CHOICE of Lord of Temptation or Lord of Desire, along with a $20 Barnes & Noble gift card! Good luck! ~ * ~ Linda Barrett is delighted to announce that Reluctant Housemates, part of her Pilgrim Cove series, has won first place in the Series Contemporary category of the Winter Rose contest for published authors. She sends her thanks to the Yellow Rose Chapter of RWA! Shelley Bates: Shelley's book, Pocketful of Pearls, is a 2006 RITA finalist in the Best Inspirational Novel category. She's also delighted to announce the upcoming Faith Building Fiction Tour, where she'll be on the road with three other Warner Faith authors, traveling to four different Southeastern cities to meet with readers, share their personal testimonies, and answer questions about their books. They'll love to meet you at Books-A-Million stores in the following cities: Monday, June 19, Mobile, AL; Tuesday, June 20, Destin, FL; Thursday, June 22, Pensacola, FL; Friday, June 23, Fort Walton, FL Nicole Byrd was thrilled to learn that her 2005 Regency historical title, Vision in Blue, Berkley, is a finalist in the Orange County (CA) RWA Book Buyers Best Award Contest. The winners will be announced in Atlanta. Kathryn Caskie's second novel in her award-winning Featherton sister series, Lady In Waiting, won Romantic Times BOOKReviews' Reviewers Choice for Best Historical Love and Laughter. Kathryn accepted her award in Daytona Beach at the RT Convention. Anna DeStefano is excited to announce that A Family for Daniel is a Holt Medallion finalist in the Southern Theme category, and it is also a long contemporary finalist in the Book Buyers Best Awards. Cindy Gerard is pleased to announce that Over the Line, Book 4 in her Bodyguard series, received a 4 1/2 Top Pick from Romantic Times BOOKreviews. The book has also been selected as a Cosmo Red Hot Read and will be excerpted in the August Cosmo issue. Look for it on the stands in mid-July. Sylvie Kurtz sends congratulations to Nina Wright, the May winner. She will receive a copy of Ms. Longshot and some horse stationery. Julie Miller is pleased to announce the winners of her Spring Cleaning contest: Suzanne Kresel of New York who won a set of four Blazes, including Ms. Miller's award-winning military romances; Sara Wilson of Virginia who won a set of anthologies, including the award-winning Cornered; and Cynthia Willingham of South Dakota who won the complete 7-book Taylor Clan series Ms. Miller wrote for Harlequin Intrigue. She sends thanks to everyone who entered--and congratulations to the winners. Lauren Royal is delighted to announce that her latest historical, Lost in Temptation, is a finalist in both Phoenix RWA's Golden Quill Award and Orange County RWA's Book Buyers Best Contest. Kathryn Shay: Kathryn's book, Someone to Believe In, has been nominated for Best Single Title in the Holt Medallion contest. Angel Smits is pleased to announce that, in anticipation of the release her second book, Raging Spirits, her publisher, Imajinn Books, is offering a discount through July 1 on, not only on her new release, but her previous book, Memory Whispers. Bonnie Vanak is pleased to announce her first three Egyptian historical romances have been contracted for publication in Spanish by Roca Editorial. The first book, The Falcon & The Dove, is slated for release in Spanish in June. Linda Warren is a double finalist for the Golden Quill Award: Forgotten Son in the Long Contemporary and "Merry Texmas" in the Novella. Congratulations! Carrie Weaver: Carrie's Harlequin Superromance, The Secret Wife (May 2005), is a finalist in the Long Contemporary category for the Greater Detroit Booksellers Best Award. ~ * ~ From Lori Wilde: Just a note to let you guys know that DESTINY'S HAND is now in bookstores.
Don't forget to enter my website contest to win a $100 gift
certificate to Barnes and Noble. It's a special contest on top of my regular
monthly contest. Just pop over to my
contest page for details. Good luck! ~ * ~ From Toni Blake: Swept Away - coming to a store near you in September! You can pre-order this book now and even go read an excerpt on my site! In addition to helping me with the new newsletter, my lovely webmistress recently did a pretty big update to my site, so please check it out. You'll find a new page devoted to Swept Away, some new photos in both the Events and Travel albums, new upcoming appearances, you get the picture ; )
The Best Darn Contest Ever
And While We're on the Subject of
Contests: Please be aware that I can't accept incomplete contest entries. You'd be surprised how many people send me entries without even trying to answer the trivia question (or questions). Those people can't win, so they've wasted their time by entering. Folks who leave off their e-mail or addresses are disqualified too, because if I can't contact you, I also can't send you the prize ; ) Rest assured no one ever sees those addresses, by the way, except me, and they are solely for the purpose of mailing you your prize if you're a winner. They are discarded at the end of each contest period, but e-mail addresses are used to invite new folks to join this list. Also, please be aware that my contests run for 2 to 4 months at a time. The end date of the contest is marked on the contest page, and I only accept one entry per person/e-mail address for each contest. So for those of you who enter every week or two, sorry to tell you, your entry is placed in the drawing only one time. As I'm sure many of you know, I sponsor a second contest on the site, too, where you can win an autographed Toni Blake book just by being signed up for this newsletter. The problem I'm finding, however, is that because signing up for the newsletter doesn't require you to post your address, I can't contact folks easily if they win. I e-mail them, but frequently never get a response, probably because they think it's junk mail. Two of the last three of these prizes have gone unclaimed - and unfortunately, I don't have the time (or the staff ; ) ) to keep drawing names and trying to contact people, so I usually take one shot at it, then get back to writing books : ) So if you're receiving this newsletter, and you see something in your mailbox someday with a subject line sort of like this - You win Toni Blake's contest! - please open it and claim your prize.
And Finally - for a Good Cause ~ * ~ Jump Into June With A Great Romance & $25! Aysel Arwen’s June Contest is all about stimulating your love for reading! This month she will tickle your romantic funny bone with a copy of Romancing The Stars, her hilarious, celebrity-inspired romance guide and a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate to purchase any of her other books...like A Pharaoh, A Spell And Jade, A Clan Chief And Jade or her first short story, Spellbound, in the Blue Moon Magic Anthology. To register to win Aysel’s book and a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate, simply go to http://ayselarwen.com/contest.cfm and enter your email address and the title of your favorite Aysel Arwen book (all are listed on her website). A winner will be drawn July 1 and contacted by email that week. Good luck and enjoy all the romantic senses...Aysel ~ * ~ Shelley Bates: To celebrate the release of the third book in her Elect trilogy, A Sounding Brass, Shelley is offering a gift bag containing a "Faith Building Fiction Tour 2006" T-shirt, a handpainted candle by artist Joanne O'Donnell, and copies of Grounds to Believe and Pocketful of Pearls, the first two books in the trilogy. To learn more, visit her contest page. Contest runs June 10-30. Kathryn Caskie: To celebrate the sparkling finale of the Featherton sisters series, Kathryn Caskie is giving away a Star Kit (as seen on PBS)--entitling the winner to Name a Star and have its name, location and constellation listed in the International Star Registry. Visit her website to enter. Ann Christopher: This month Ann gives away a $25 gift certificate to one of her favorite stores: Target! Visit her contest page for more info. Jeanette Cottrell announces a new contest. Sign up for her newsletter to be entered for a chance to win a $15 gift certificate to Godiva.com! The drawing is on July 15, 2006. Choose your own chocolate! Whether it's an 8-piece truffle selection, or a collection, the choice is up to you! Visit her contest page for more details. Melinda Curtis: Enter for your chance to win 8 oz of Starbucks Rwanda Blue Bourbon coffee beans. Visit her website for contest details and to enter. Contest ends June 30. Sylvia Day: Win a book from Sylvia's backlist and a deck of Ellora's Cave playing cards. Visit her website to enter! Anna DeStefano's summer giveaways are amazing. To celebrate the release of her July release, The Prodigal's Return, she'll be hosting a blog release party, and check out her contest page and the funky purses she'll be giving away all summer long!!! HelenKay Dimon: The uncorrected proofs of HelenKay's August 2006 release Viva Las Bad Boys! have arrived. HelenKay will be giving away two copies in June to individuals randomly selected from her newsletter list. Sign up for a chance to win. Winners will be announced at the end of the month. So, you have until June 30th to get in on the contest. Kate Donovan is having a June contest. All you have to do is email the answers to three questions. The questions will be listed on her website and on her blog. The prize is a signed copy of one of Kate's Bombshells, winner's choice. Doranna Durgin: Doranna's current seasonal contest wraps up at the end of June; entering is as easy as finding the contest form on her website. Darragha Foster: Darragha has sticky notes coming out her ears! Here's her offer. Email her with your snail mail address using the subject line: Sticky Notes Rock! and she'll send you a couple pads. You're also invited to join her group where you will go into a drawing for a signed tradeback edition of Love's Second Sight, her first published novel. To enter, make sure you let her know you have joined the list for this contest. She will also award three new 'groupies' (joining during the months and May and June) a free download of any of her books. Mary Gardner: Mary's current Recommended Reads contest will end on June 9. Visit her website for details. Cindy Gerard: Cindy says join the fun and help her name their two new little colts. Win ARCs and other fun prizes. Check her contest page for more details. Mallory Kane: Mallory's new contest is for the chance to win a copy of Heir To Secret Memories, her second book. Visit her website to enter. Contest ends June 30. Julie Kenner: Visit her website for a monthly contest now through July. Sylvie Kurtz offers her readers a chance to win a signed copy of Ms. Longshot and a horse magnet. Check her website for more details. Charlotte Maclay: Now that her latest book, Make No Promises, has arrived, Charlotte will celebrate by sending the winner of her June contest a $10.00 gift certificate for Barnes & Noble and a chocolate treat. To enter, visit her contest page. Contest ends June 30. Dana Marton is pleased to announce that Camouflage Heart (Harlequin Intrigue) is a finalist for the Daphne Du Maurier Award. Maureen McKade says "Get Wild about Westerns!" How would you like to win a signed Advance Reading Copy of Maureen's next book A Reason to Live and a horsehair bracelet? Whether you love historical western romances or simply appreciate a romance set in 19th century America, send Maureen an email, put "Wild about Westerns" in the subject line, and tell her why you fancy the western romance in 200 words or less. Your letters will be posted on her website and the winner will be chosen at random on July 4th. Two other winners will receive a mulberry paper journal. For more details, visit her contest page. Brenda Novak: For two months, Brenda has been trying to award one lucky winner a $500 shopping spree to the store of her choice. But the person with the lucky number hasn't come to collect the prize! For June Brenda's going to change things up and offer a few prizes: See's Chocolates, a $50 Waldenbooks/Borders gift certificate, some French Bistro Items, etc. The first person to return to her website with a winning number takes first pick and so on. Don't miss the fun! Ann Roth: Enter a monthly drawning to win one of Ann's backlist, autographed with a personal message just for you! Visit her contest page for more details. Lauren Royal: To celebrate the release of her newest historical, Lost in Temptation, Lauren is giving away the cameo on the book's cover! Visit her contest page for more details. Kathryn Shay: Every three months Kathryn gives away three books from her backlist, her current or her next release. Visit her contest page for more details. Kay Stockham: Kay's celebrating the upcoming release of her second SuperRomance with a Launch Party Scavenger Hunt! Check out her contest page for details. Answer the questions taken from Man With A Past and be entered for your chance to win a fabulous bracelet by Annaleece which has a Swarovski Crystal encrusted heart dangle. Contest runs through July 30. Vicki Lewis Thompson: Vicki's sixth nerd adventure, Nerds Like It Hot, arrives in stores on August 1, 2006. To celebrate, Vicki is hosting a series of contests, games and reader polls throughout the summer, leading up to the big event. With prizes ranging from autographed books to southwestern goodies, there's something for everyone. So join us for some summer fun as we count down to NERD! Visit her contest page for more details. Rebecca York: Ruth (Rebecca) will autograph and send a copy of Till Death Us Do Part to the winner of a drawing on July 7, 2006. To be eligible for the drawing, send an email to: Ruth, mentioning "Contest #37" in the subject line. And please provide (1) an address to send the book if you win and (2) the name of your favorite heroine from a Rebecca York book. Just one contest entry per person will be counted. Contest ends July 7. ~ * ~ Ginger Simpson has created a new Yahoo Group for chatting with her fans and friends. She invites you to drop by and visit. Her new group can be found here. ~ * ~
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