Dark Passage, the 2nd book in M. J. Putney's terrific series is out today.

The Irregulars return home to 1803 England safely, but their worldview has changed.  Not only have their heroic efforts at Dunkirk given them pride and confidence, but their dangerous mission has increased their magical powers. 

Tory delights in the ever-deepening bond she shares with Allarde, until she discovers how powerfully he is connected to his ancient family estate—the lands he will not inherit unless he denies his magical powers and chooses a non-magical mate.  If Tory really loves him, she must walk away—but does she have the strength to leave the love of her life?


Cynthia’s heroic efforts at Dunkirk have won her the respect of the Irregulars, but her sharp tongue keeps everyone at a distance.  Isolated and very alone at Lackland Abbey over the Christmas holidays, Cynthia reluctantly agrees to join Jack Rainford and his family for their holiday celebration even though they’re commoners, far below her own noble rank.  The warm acceptance of the Rainfords makes her feel happier and more accepted than she has ever felt.  But she can’t possibly be falling in love with flirtatious Jack! Can she?


Then the Irregulars are drawn into a dangerous attempt to rescue a vitally important French scientist from Nazi-occupied France.  Countless lives are at stake, but when their mission goes awry, will they all survive to return home?

The first book was wonderful--hope you enjoy book 2 as well.

Word Wenches News for July now available

We just sent out the new issue of Word Wenches news.  You can read an online copy


Patricia Rice's new book The Devilish Montague is now in stores.

Blake Montague has a distressing tendency to tell the wrong people what he thinks, but just because he regularly ends up in duels doesn’t mean the devil's to blame for his heroics. Blake believes in duty and all those dull responsibilities that Jocelyn Byrd-Carrington never heard of.

 

Although brought up in an eccentric, unlovable family, Jocelyn still knows how to love. She loves her younger brother and her odd mother and the parrots her older half-brother sold when he inherited their father’s estate. She does NOT love her half-brother. She doesn’t love stuffy, annoyingly improper Blake Montague, either, but she can tell he’s a man of integrity, and he has what she needs—a house for her little brother and their parrots. And she has what he needs—a dowry. Both being semi-sensible people, they see the advantages of bringing these assets together. What they don’t see is the life-changing alterations they must make to fit their radically different outlooks into one household. Blake would rather shoot birds than feed them, but if he wants in his new wife’s bed anytime soon, he must make a few adjustments. Falling in love wasn’t in his plans…  Excerpt here

 

 

The next J. D. Robb book is New York to Dallas, out on Sept 13th.  We've just added the excerpt to jdrobb.com.  Time of Death is now available and contains:

 

 Eternity in Death
A seductive killer is luring in victims with a promise of the impossible-immortality. Eve Dallas must strip away the fantasy to catch the coldhearted madman.

Ritual in Death
Eve is plunged into the violent aftermath of a ritualistic murder-and into the mind of an alleged witness who can't remember a thing to save his life.

Missing in Death
When a woman disappears from a New York City ferry, it's a case that only Eve Dallas can solve- because the woman didn't jump, and yet she's not on board. Read an excerpt

The Gentleman Poet Charity Interview

Kathryn Johnson be making a $1.00 donation to the House of Ruth for each of the first 500 visitors who leave a comment on her guest blog at www.bordersblog.com/trueromance, between now and Wednesday night, March 9, 2011. Borders’ spectacular buyer Sue Grimshaw is the host.

In honor of Kathryn's heroine, Elizabeth, from The Gentleman Poet, visitors are sharing their stories of women who have risen above adversity to build for themselves and their families a better life.

Please drop by and read a few of these amazing stories, and if you leave a comment or story of your own, Kathryn will chip in another dollar. In Washington, DC alone, The House of Ruth helps over 600 women and children who have been living in stark poverty and violent, abusive surroundings. Feel free to share, Tweet, or email the link to friends. 

Book and Author News - Indulgence in Death

Look for the Indulgence in Death ad in the 11/18 (on sale 11/1) issue of The New Yorker and its accompanying tablet edition ad.
Indulgence in Death by J. D. Robb goes on sale, Nov 2. Read a new excerpt that goes along with the ad.

 The 4th book in Nora Roberts' Bride Quartet, Happy Ever After will also be released November 2, 2010.






Kathryn Johnson, author The Gentleman Poet will be doing a blog tour for her new book.  The book is getting very good reviews--even in Hollywood.  Here's a list of her blog appearances:

10.24.10 Risky Regencies  Guest author interview and giveaway           

10.29.10 Peeking Between the Pages   Guest blog and giveaway                     
11.05.10 SOSAloha  Guest author interview and giveaway
11.06.10 Historical-fiction.com   Guest blog and giveaway                  

11.12.10 Novel Thoughts  Guest blog and giveaway   

11.17.10 Word Wenches  Guest author interview

From Eileen

I've entered an essay contest for my favorite makeup--Bare Essentials.  You can see my funny entry--and vote for me.


Happy Reading,

Eileen 

Interview with Kathryn Johnson author of The Gentleman Poet

Today, author Kathryn Johnson joins us to chat about her new book, The Gentleman Poet, A novel of love, danger, and “The Tempest”which comes out on Tuesday, September 7th. !

Many scholars believe one of Shakespeare’s most beloved plays, The Tempest, was inspired by a shipwreck and true tale of survival that captured the imagination of 17th-century London. In the book, Kathryn proposes the questions what if the greatest playwright of all time didn’t simply read about the wreck of the Sea Venture off the Bermuda coast? What if Will was on board, fleeing powerful enemies, daring one last great adventure?  A very intriguing plot.


BAnews: How much of The Gentleman Poet is real—actual history, that is—and how much is fiction?

Kathryn: Many of the names for characters and their roles came directly from the ship’s manifest and from the account of the wreck written by one of the passengers, William Strachey. I also relied a great deal on the timeline provided by Strachey’s journal. But what these characters actually said to one another—or how their individual adventures played out—all of that is purely my imagination at work.

BAnews: Can you give us an example of the mix of real and fantasy in the story?

Kathryn: Sure. In Strachey’s account of the days the survivors spent on the island, which amounted to about 9 months, he mentions that a serving girl Elizabeth Persons married the ship’s cook. So one assumes that a romance developed and that, despite their dire circumstances, love was still alive and families were being formed among the group. So in the story, Elizabeth and Thomas the cook fall in love.

BAnews: You’ve set The Gentleman Poet in 1609. Can you tell us what in the story might be relevant for us in the 21st century?

Kathryn: Well, many things in life never change. People in times past worried about how to support themselves and their families. They took risks, as we do, in their careers and life choices. They feared disease, war, persecution, getting old, loss of loved ones. So the characters in my story are very similar to people we meet every day in the 21st century

BAnews: Tell us about the research you did for the book. Did you spend a lot of time in archives, studying letters and other records?

Kathryn: The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. was an amazing help. They have, I believe, the largest collection of Shakespeare-related material in the world, including several of the priceless and rare First Folios, a collection of Shakespeare’s plays printed by his friends after his death. There I found two amazing accounts of the shipwreck of the Sea Venture, which was bound for Jamestown in 1609. It was this ship and its survivors who, legend tells us, inspired Shakespeare’s play, The Tempest.

BAnews: Any exciting research trips?

Kathryn: I also went on location, so to speak, in Bermuda (tough work if you can get it—LOL!), which is the setting for most of the story. I spent two weeks touring the island and studied some of the artifacts salvaged from the wreck, which still lies in the coral beds just east of the Bermuda coast. And by the way, Bermuda is a super spot for a reading vacation—full of legends, ghost stories, and there are guest houses where you can stay very reasonably, some of them centuries old that were built as homes for privateers.

BAnews: What about survivors. How many made it to shore after the wreck?

Kathryn: That’s one of the amazing things about the historical account. It tells us that there were 150 crew and passengers aboard the Venture when it ran aground on the reef, less than a mile from land. They’d just suffered four terrible days at sea, nearly sinking in a hurricane. But here they were within sight of land, and the captain somehow got every single person safely to shore. And there they lived for 9 months, building a new ship, which eventually carried them the rest of the way to Jamestown. Talk about courage and persistence!

BAnews: That is amazing. But how did Shakespeare find out about this wreck without the modern advantages of the Internet, Facebook, twitter, telephone, email, or even telegraph messages?

Kathryn: Most scholars believe that Strachey’s account traveled back to England on a ship from Jamestown. When Londoners learned that the Sea Venture hadn’t been lost and its passengers were still alive, it was huge—something akin to man walking on the moon. Shakespeare must have seen a copy of that letter. Read his play, The Tempest, and you’ll see that the similarity with the wording with some parts of Strachey’s account is uncanny. For instance, Will seems to have lifted whole phrases from the ship’s historian to use in his opening storm scene!

BAnews: But then again, Shakespeare was famous for borrowing from other writers—

Kathryn: Exactly! Will was the ultimate literary recycler. But what he did with those characters and stories…oh my! That’s why he lives today through his plays. That’s why hundreds of theaters and festivals across the country, and around the world, still perform him. And I guess that’s why I just had to write this book. I took my cue from Will. I borrowed his tempest and put it in my novel.

Thanks Kathryn for stopping by. We'll all look forward to reading The Gentleman Poet.  For more about Kathryn and her book, check out her website, gentlemanpoet.com  Kathryn also provides writing tips on her writebyyou.com website.

Alison Buckholtz on NPR today

Alison Buckholtz will be interviewed on NPR's "Talk of the Nation" today, July 27th at 2 pm discussing military families in a time of war, Standing By, and her Slate column, "Deployment Diary."  Suzie Schwartz will be on with her. Tune in if you can!  If you miss the live broadcast, you can listen to the posting on npr.org.

RWA Conference in Orlando

Romance Writers of America's annual conference is this week--Wednesday, July 28th - 30th at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort in Orlando.  Best-selling author Nora Roberts will be the Keynote speaker .  Fans can meet her at the 2010 "Readers for Life" autographing session on Wednesday July 28, from 5:30 - 7:30 in the Pacific Exhibit Hall at the Dolphin Resort.  Nora's new book The Search was recently #1 on the NY Times bestseller list. 

Here's a list of other authors attending the signing.

Summer Reading

Book and author News – Summer Reading



If you’re looking for something fun to read at the beach or just lazing around this summer, you’re in luck.


July 6th – The Search by Nora Roberts - a riveting novel where a canine search and rescue volunteer fights danger and finds love in the Pacific Northwest wilderness.

Read an excerpt


Enter the Ultimate Nora Roberts Sweepstakes Ten winners will receive autographed copies of Vision in White, Bed of Roses, and Savor the Moment as well as the Vision in White game.
http://wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/37957

July 6th – the Wicked Wyckerly by Patricia Rice

When he becomes seventh Earl of Danecroft, rakish John Fitzhugh Wyckerly also inherits a crumbling estate and massive debts. Determined to do right, he reclaims his illegitimate daughter Penelope and heads to London in search of a very rich wife.

Abigail Merriweather's farm has been quiet since she lost custody of her four young half-siblings-until a roguish gentleman named Fitz stops for a rest, his rebellious daughter in tow. His etiquette is questionable, his parenting deplorable-so why does Abby delight in his flirtations? And when she seeks a suitor to help her regain the children, why does Fitz keep popping up?

Read an excerpt
http://patriciarice.com/teaser.pdf

Book and Author News - March 28, 2009

Get the popcorn ready. Lifetime Movies – Midnight Bayou, the second Lifetime movie from the Nora Roberts collection will premier tonight, Saturday April 28th at 9:00 EST. There will be encore presentations during the week. Northern Lights, the first in the set, was a big hit last week. Read more about the movies.

Cookbook author Nancy Baggett’s new book Kneadlessly Simple was featured on NPR. Nancy tells us how to make delicious bread with a new yeast that requires no kneading. If you want Nancy's improved and simplified version of the now famous peasant-style pot bread (first published in the New York Times in 2008), go to www.npr.org and search on "Baggett bread" after the show has aired. The archive will include the recipe and photos showing how the bread is made. Order a copy of Kneadless Simple from Amazon.com

Loretta Chase’s Mr. Impossible is going into a second printing.

The paperback edition of Lady MacBeth by Susan Fraser King will be in bookstores on April 7th.

This week, author Alison Buckholtz has stopped by Book and Author news for a short interview about her new book, Standing By, The Making of an American Military Family in a Time of War, which will be in bookstores, April 2.

B&ANEWS: Alison, tell us about the book Standing By--why you decided to write it and what you hope to accomplish.

Alison:
I grew up in a non-military family. I really had no concept of what the military was like, or of military family life. It was like a new culture with its own lingo, traditions, and accepted social mores. I felt like an outsider. But year by year, as I became more assimilated into this new world, I found that my civilian friends started asking me what it was like. Over and over again, they said “How do you do it?” I knew they were also asking “Why do you do it,” because the sacrifices that military families make can seem incomprehensible to others.

I came to understand that somewhere along the way, I had become an insider. So I wrote STANDING BY, which is about the challenges and rewards of life as a military family, to introduce this world to others. I see my role as a translator between two Americas.

We’re not unique among military families. Countless other parents and kids have experienced the same stress of separation after 9/11. Since then, especially among Army, Marine and National Guard families, deployment requirements increased significantly when compared to historical norms of the past few decades. So we know we are not the only ones to question the effect of this lifestyle on family relationships. I certainly know that I am not the only wife who mourns her husband's long absences. I hope that military wives reading this account of our experience feel a little less alone.

Even more than that, though, I hope that this book can help bridge a gap in understanding between civilians and military personnel in America. Since the abolition of the draft in the U.S., in 1973, the gulf between two groups – civilians and military – has deepened dramatically. It’s hard for one side to reach out to the other. I'm now an insider, and it made me want to speak directly to all of those people who don't know anyone in the military. I used to be one of those people, so I understand some faulty assumptions that are often made.

B&ANEWS: What can everyday people do to help military families and show their support?

Alison: If people are interested in volunteering, there are so many worthy organizations that help servicemembers and their families. One of my favorites is Cards for Heroes (http://www.cardsforheroes.org/). Its volunteers create blank greeting cards and ship them to servicemembers overseas so that deployed military members can write to their families and friends back home. Of course, organizations like Fisher House (http://www.fisherhouse.org/), which provides lodging to servicemembers’ families so that they can be close to their injured loved one, is always in need of support.

However, any heartfelt offer to help the spouse of a deployed servicemember is valuable, because the stresses of being a stay-at-home parent during deployment are sometimes difficult to manage.

B&ANEWS: First Lady Michelle Obama is also focusing on military families. What three areas would you recommend that she work on first?

Alison: I’m thrilled that Mrs. Obama is focusing on military families. There are so many areas in need of attention, but to me among the most important is the health and well-being of children of deployed servicemembers. Data show that the satisfaction of the military spouse is a primary reason for a servicemember either staying in or leaving the military. If it’s true that a mother is only as happy as her least happy child, then the health and well-being of the military child is more important than anyone has yet acknowledged. Academic studies, such as the peer-reviewed research published late last year in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, conclude that children aged 5 years and younger who experience the deployment of a parent exhibit significantly increased aggression and anxiety compared to children without a deployed parent. These results are a call to action. Military bases need professionals who are trained to address children’s psychological needs. In our case – and ours is far from unique -- there is no child psychiatrist or medically-trained mental health specialist for children on base or in the town the base is located in, even though our insurance covers the referral.

Read more about supporting military families and Alison's new book at www.standingbybook.com

Order a copy of Standing By from Amazon.com

Book and Author News - March 09, 2009

Inn Boonsboro created by bestselling author Nora Roberts, combines the luxury of a 5 star boutique hotel with the charm and warmth of a bed and breakfast. I’ve been working on the website for the Inn and had the opportunity to attend the grand opening party last month. The rooms are incredible, every detail from the furniture, art, linens, to the amazing baths have been designed for comfort and style. What a great getaway! Check out the rooms on the InnBoonsBoro.com website.

Get ready for Movie nights—Lifetime will be premiering movies from Nora Roberts Books on Saturday nights starting Sat March 21^st.

Northern Lights - Sat. March 21

Midnight Bayou - Sat March 28

High Noon - Sat. April 4

Tribute - Sat. April 11

And on the subject of Nora, Roberts, her new J. D. Robb novel, Promises in Death is now available. It’s number #1 this week on Publisher’s Weekly Hardcover list. You can order an autographed copy from Turn the Page Books.

A Amarylis Coltraine may have recently transferred to the New York City police force from Atlanta, but she’s been a cop long enough to know how to defend herself against an assailant. When she’s taken down just steps away from her apartment, killed with her own weapon, for Eve the victim isn’t just “one of us.” Eve is going to break this case, whatever it takes.

Alison Buckholtz (my niece) has a beautifully written and heart felt memoir “Standing By – The Making of an American Military Family in a Time of War”. Check out her salute to Military Families, in her Homecoming Day Video There are many resources for military families on her website Standbybook.com

The book will be in stores on April 2. You can preorder from Amazon.com

The Highland Groom, by Sarah Gabriel. Avon, 1/09. To fulfill a promise, Fiona MacCarran travels into the misty Highlands to teach at a glen school. To save his clan, Dougal MacGregor smuggles the finest whisky. Can a law-abiding Lowland lass and an outlawed Highland rebel ever find common ground, let alone love?Read more on Sarah's website.

Congratulations to Jo Beverley and Loretta Chase! Jo’s A Lady’s Secret and Loretta’s Your Scandalous Ways were both listed on the Reader’s Advisor Online list of Great Romances of 2008. Your Scandalous Ways also made the AAR Annual Reader Poll list for Best Historical Romance Set Outside the U.K. and Best Love Scenes.

LADY MACBETH, Susan Fraser King (trade paperback release) - 4/09

THE SECRET WEDDING, by Jo Beverley - 4/09

Jessica Garrett’s new poetry book Fire Pond (this year's addition to the Agha Shahid Ali Prize Series) is currently available for pre-order on Amazon. The official release date is March 31.)

Coming events:

Wordwenches.com O3/11 – Pat Rice will be hosting Ella March Chase, who will be a Wench guest this month. She will be talking about her recent release, The Virgin Queen’s Daughter, a fictionalized Queen Elizabeth historical wherein the queen hides an illegitimate daughter n the Word Wenches