Exciting news for June, 2018

So, where to begin? At the beginning of April I was seriously considering a break in writing, or at least, in publishing my work. With the closure of three of the publishers I worked with, and the ending of a series, it seemed like a good time to take a breather. The publishing market hasn't got any easier over the years, and it's hard work, keeping up to date, keeping the website current, getting the newsletter out, and oh, yes, writing. Dauntless comes out later this month, the third of the four books in The Shaws series, so I planned to give myself a little time to plan my next move. But then two things happened that made my decision redundant. First, I have a new agent! Jill Marsal of Marsall Lyon is handling my contracts for historical romance. I'm thrilled to have her on my side, even more since I met her in San Diego recently. I'm waiting now, on two submissions, both historical series. It's hard to wait, but I need to be patient. Or so I'm telling myself! Second, I have a new contract for contemporary romance! I haven't published any contemporary romance for a while, so it's really great to get back to it. I have signed a contract with Tule Publishing for a quartet about four brothers who find their loves. But it's not that easy for them, or where would be the fun in that? At the start of the series only two brothers know each other, but they find that their mother had some shocks in store in two more siblings they had no idea about! I've handed the first manuscript in, and I'm working on the second. Stay tuned for more developments, and release dates! I am so thrilled about these developments, and it just goes to show - never give up, keep trying, if your heart is in the work.   The RT Booklovers' Convention As usual, I went over to the US to visit friends and to attend the RT Booklovers' Convention, which this year was in Reno. This, I discovered to my dismay, was to be the last RT Convention. I've been going since 2007, and I can't begin to tell you how much the convention means to me. But, alas, it is no more. Kathryn Falk and Kenneth Rubin have decided to retire the RT brand. From Romantic Times to the Convention and all the offshoots, they will cease to be at the end of this year. It's a blow for the romance community, but I can't help but be thankful for all the things Kathryn and Kenneth have done for me, and the community as a whole. I've written about it at more length in a blog post. But the convention itself was its usual blend of madness, business and sheer fun, leaving me wrung out at the end. But here are some memories I can take away from this year's convention: With the lovely Cindy McGee   Our panel. A great success! The gang's all here!

New Release This Month sees the release of the third book in The Shaws series. It's Dru's story. The middle child, stuck between two sets of twins, Lady Drusilla Shaw has always felt a bit left out. But once she meets Oliver, Duke of Mountsorrel, her life changes. For the better? The Shaws are one of Britain’s most influential, dynamic families, but one Shaw prefers to keep a low profile. Unfortunately, the limelight can shine behind-the-scenes . . .   Lady Drusilla Shaw may be a bit introverted, yet she has the observant mind of a writer, capturing all of society’s quirks and scandals. But when the novel she’s been working on disappears from her room, that is just the beginning of her problems. Confident, magnetic Oliver, Duke of Mountsorrel, has taken an interest in Dru, and when he proposes, she is both thrilled and anxious. Her book depicts a ruinous family story that is uncannily similar to Oliver’s real-life, not to mention libelous. The manuscript could surface at any moment—and eventually it does, in published form, for all to read . . . Oliver is bewildered by his new wife and her blasted book. Worst of all, how can he love a woman he no longer trusts? But when it becomes obvious that someone is taking their cues from the book in a series of attacks, he has no choice but to stick close to her. Their explosive connection in bed should take care of the heir-making, but for that to happen, Drusilla has to stay alive—and so does Oliver. Excerpt: Every time Drusilla attended a ball, or the theater, or any other society event, she had that expectation. Would she meet him tonight? The man who would make her world shine, the one she’d written about all her life? The fact that she’d met most of the eligible men in society, that there were no more left to meet, didn’t stop that traitorous feeling of maybe this time, maybe tonight … While a maid was helping her divest herself of her hat and cloak, an elbow dig from a nearby countess who did not even attempt an apology was enough to persuade her to take a step back. Unfortunately, her heel caught in the ruffles of her petticoat, and she tumbled backward. Just what she needed—an undignified tumble. At least she wore enough layers to protect her. She’d probably take a few members of the peerage with her. Then the gossip writers would report on that and nothing else, and her aunt, the formidable Duchess of Kirkburton, would be severely displeased. And her mother would be disappointed. She should have never come. She could have pleaded illness and stayed at home with her writing. But none of her doom-laden prophesies happened. Instead, a pair of strong masculine arms caught her and drew her close to a wall of muscle. While the contact lasted barely a few seconds, its impact jolted her into total awareness. The dreamy cloud that surrounded her most times melted away. All she felt was a wall of muscle and being held in a secure grip. She would have given anything to subside into his arms, and for a moment she did just that. His arms closed around her, giving her a satisfying sense of security. Dru forced herself to pull away. When she turned, she confronted a pair of startled gray eyes set in a face so ruthlessly masculine she wondered if a hard-bitten soldier had somehow forced his way into a society ball. His unmistakable air of command easily dominated this hall full of the cream of society. Here, more titles and wealth abounded than anywhere else in the country. This man did not get his air of power from his wealth. Recalling her manners, she dropped a curtsy. He responded, bowing slightly, but they hadn’t been introduced, so they could do nothing more. For all that, she knew him. Their paths had not crossed. The Duke of Mountsorrel attended few society events, but he could not elude them completely. However, he avoided single eligible ladies as if they bore the plague. His severe dress spoke of the Puritan, but he was no City merchant. If observers looked closely, they would see that his dark blue twilled silk coat and the matching waistcoat were the finest fabric and the best work money could buy. He turned away, only to confront Livia, who stared at him blatantly. Her curtsy was even more perfunctory than the one a shaken Dru had given him. She received the same stiff bow before he turned around and left. * * * * A cupboard. Oliver found he’d entered an anteroom that was little more than a closet. So leaving it with dignity was out of the question. And he could find only one door. That damned woman had stumbled on purpose, he was sure of it, and her accomplice had been waiting for a chance to block him. Such snares would trap a boy barely out of petticoats, but Oliver should have known better. He hated balls and social occasions with a passion he usually reserved for murderers and cabbage. Especially now, when one touch of warm female flesh had driven his body into hard, needy arousal. It didn’t matter that the woman had been respectably clothed. He wanted her anyway. Oliver took in the room with a comprehensive glance. That was all the place deserved. A hard chair and a table, and rough pegs on the wall. No doubt the unfortunate footman on duty spent hours here, but Oliver saw no trace of occupation. No book, no newspaper, not even a glass. He would have allowed the footman who occupied this room something to do. Even Charles’s attendants had a more comfortable life, and God knew they had plenty to do. Well, he’d tried. Even thinking of his brother had not caused his raging erection to subside. One touch, that was all it had taken. One accidental tumble. As if he’d never felt a woman’s soft body in his arms before. Lady Drusilla Shaw did not even sport the abundant curves he preferred in his women. Her waist was impossibly slender. The notion of hoisting her up, his hands circling her waist, and driving into her took him by complete surprise. It sent a thrill of recognition all the way up his spine to the center of his mind. He would probably never rid himself of that vision now. Yes, he knew who she was. One of the Emperors of London, hence her unusual name. They were all named after emperors and empresses of the past in a conceit invented by their parents. He’d seen the tribe working, watched the way they smoothly covered all parts of a ball. Many would be here tonight, since this was Emperor territory. They would watch him, he knew. Unmarried women abounded in the family, although their numbers had decreased of late. He would not succumb to her ladyship’s less than voluptuous charms. She had the appeal of a dainty, pretty woman, one who would break under his big body. No, she was not for him. He couldn’t even pace properly in this tiny space. So he put his self-control to work, leaned against the wall, and folded his arms. Oliver waited until the murmur outside had changed to a dull roar and the influx of guests he’d arrived with had left. Then he stepped out of the room, dusting off his waistcoat, and tried to slide into the maelstrom that surrounding him. To a great extent he succeeded. As he glanced up, he saw two women standing side by side, goggling over the banisters on the next floor. Lady Drusilla and her sister Lady Livia. Those women should be hanged at dawn. Or banned from attending society events. Either would work for him. They had not the least idea of how to behave. Were it not for their fine clothing, he’d have assumed they were country girls up for the season. With all the dignity he could muster, he ascended the stairs and greeted his hostess. The Duchess of Kirkburton, while diminutive in stature, towered over society as one of its best established and most influential hostesses. Dressed in white satin with a plethora of ruffles, lace, and embroidery, her grace should have been swamped. However, her personality defeated any attempt to overwhelm her. Graciously she offered her hand. Gallantly, Oliver bowed over it, wishing he were anywhere but here. He would put a bold face on his worries and concentrate on finding his life’s partner. “Your grace, I’m pleased to see you here. Welcome to my house.” Said the spider to the fly. Used to schooling his features, Oliver stretched his lips into a semblance of a smile. “It is entirely my honor, your grace.” Her bosom tightly constricted in stays that must have made breathing difficult, the duchess inclined her head. “It is a great pity you were not in town last year, sir. My daughter Helena would have been perfect for you. However, I do have another daughter, and she is dazzling the world. I would be honored to introduce you.” What an odd thing to say! Lady Helena had made an advantageous marriage recently. Why would her mother resent that? And she clearly did, from her frosty words as she skipped over one daughter and right to another. The duchess’s unmarried daughter was ten years younger than he, perhaps more since she had barely been out a year. While others might not balk at the age difference and some would welcome it, Oliver needed a mature female, someone of sense and gravity. Perhaps he should set his sights lower. A vicar’s widow or a young woman of genteel family might prove a better duchess, if only because she was closer to the realities of life. She would have a lot of reality to manage. He had no intention of keeping secrets from his bride. With a tug to set his waistcoat to rights, his invariable habit when making a decision, he bowed to his hostess and strode forward into the ballroom. You can find Dauntless here, together with the other books in the series and the buy links - currently up for preorder, but it won't be long before the day of release! https://lynneconnolly.com/the-shaws/

Farewell to the RT Booklovers' Convention

The RT Booklovers’ Convention has been a large part of my professional life for over ten years now. As soon as I could afford it, I visited the convention, and every year since. Now it is no more, I will mourn it and be grateful for what it meant to me and others like me.
I live in the UK, but I found my publishing home in the US. At first with tiny e-publishing houses, then with larger ones, I saw the convention grow, and my role with it. I met a lot of people who helped me with my career, and I had fun doing it.
RT was the first to acknowledge the importance of the e-publishing movement. While many readers today can’t imagine a world without it, at first the romance community rejected it as a valid form of publication, a red-headed stepchild to the behemoths of the great publishers, who, back then, ruled the roost.
My first RT was in 2007, in Houston, Texas. I went across the pond myself. Terrified and excited, I checked into the hotel, and from the first moment met a fantastic group of people. I had found my tribe.
From then on, as RT grew into a huge convention with more than 2000 attendees, I grew with it. With the esteemed Kathryn Falk, owner of the convention as my mentor, I got more book contracts, became better known and sold lots and lots of books.
Kathryn is my friend, and a woman I admire enormously. She has always championed the cause of romance, whether it’s indies, erotic, or any other unusual variety. She ‘got’ us, although I once asked her if she’d ever considered writing a romance. “No,” she said. “But I love reading them.”
So we kept writing books for her to read.
Her ranch in Texas is a model of a smallholding. She bred chickens, goats, sheep, pigs and deer. Some of them have gone by the wayside, but many have stayed, and while she’s the same optimistic, confident self whatever she does, she tailors her approach to her interests. No wonder her staff (and the animals she cares for) love her.
Kathryn’s confidence and ebullient personality was reflected in the convention she created. Quirky, huge fun and experimental, Kathryn was the first industry person to see what erotic romance meant to the community, and paved the way for the huge success it experienced in the early 2010s. She saw the indie community struggling, and worked out ways to help.
But she never abandoned the other side of the industry, the traditionally published authors who go through similar struggles to everyone else, but aren’t as noisy.
Everyone had a chance to connect. That, in the end, was what the convention was all about; making friends, the kind that last.

I’m going to miss the RT Booklovers’ Convention more than I can say.

However, the convention lives on in the new Booklovers’ Convention, run by one of Kathryn’s stalwarts, Jo Carol Jones. Next year it takes place in New Orleans, and plans are already well advanced. So onward!

Newsletter March, 2016

News

March, and yes, it came in like a lion, as the saying goes. I heard on Friday that Samhain Publishing is closing, but then I heard different things. It's too early to tell. Whatever happens, I can promise you that my Samhain books, the Triple Countess series, the Secrets series, Richard and Rose, the Waterloo book and the Even Gods Fall In Love books will continue to be available. The books are still for sale at Samhain, and if I get my rights back, I'll turn them around and get them straight back up. That's a promise.I am plodding along, and writing. I'll always write, published or not, but it looks right now that it's either the big publishers or self-publishing, which is a shame. The admin, the promotion, the production parts of self-publishing all stop me from writing, which is what I really want to do.Ideally, I'd write historical romance, sprinkled with a few contemporary romances to leaven the mix. It's great to get away from the intensive research needed for the historical romance, and write in this world for a change but the thirst for the historical comes, and I can't resist it.I've done a new intro for my website, and tried to express what I want readers to feel. I want them to be taken back to a new place, but a place that existed in time, so they can feel the cobbles under their feet and hear the horses clattering past.I'll be releasing the STORM books soon. I loved writing them so much, and they're ready for a revamp. I've given them a light edit, cutting some of the graphic language in the sex scenes, and making them more romantic suspense, but they're still hot stuff!Later on this month, I'm travelling across the Atlantic for a little vacation before RT kicks off the second week of April. I am so psyched about this, I can't tell you because I'm not going alone! No, this time I'm sharing the madness with my husband. We're having a break in New Orleans first, then flying to Las Vegas, with a side visit to the Grand Canyon. So cool!So he gets to see the convention for himself. I wonder what he'll make of it?New Releases and Excerpt:The next release is  Dilemma in Yellow Silk, the next Emperors of London book, out on 12th April, but already up for pre-order. I'll tell you about it now, because I'll be on the road next month, and I don't know if I can get a newsletter out.

Ever ready to do the right thing, The Emperors of London act bravely—and when it comes to matters of the heart, impetuously…Dilemma in Yellow SilkDespite her cover as the daughter of the land steward for Lord Malton, Marcus Aurelius, spirited Viola Gates is tied by birth to the treacherous Jacobite legacy. Not that this keeps her from falling for the dashing Lord from afar. Despite his staid demeanor, Marcus is devastatingly handsome—and hopelessly beyond her reach. Then Viola’s father is mortally wounded and her secret identity revealed, sending her straight into danger’s path—and Marcus’s arms…For years, he’d only known her as a wild child, the tempting—and forbidden—daughter of his trusted steward. But when Viola’s life is threatened, Marcus must act as duty—and his barely contained passion—dictates. Ferrying the bold beauty on an eventful journey to safer quarters, he offers her the protection of his name. Their tempestuous union might succeed in vanquishing their enemies, but will the chivalrous lord and his unsuitable wife surrender to the power of love?“Lynne Connolly writes Georgian romances with a deft touch. Her characters amuse, entertain and reach into your heart.” —Desiree Holt“Plots, deviousness and passion galore…a truly enjoyable read.” –Fresh Fiction on Temptation Has Green Eyes

Excerpt:

The first time she’d seen him dressed for a grand occasion had served to distance him completely from her. Without those glossy dark brown locks, and dressed in the finest London could provide, Marcus appeared a different person, one Viola didn’t know at all. So when he said he missed her, he probably meant the carefree days of his childhood.Viola could not pass this opportunity by. She turned her hand and curled her fingers between his. He clasped her hand warmly.She stared at that symbol of friendship, as if it weren’t her hand. “I missed you, too.”“You’ve grown up a beauty, Viola,” he said softly.She shook her head vigorously. “No. I’m ordinary. You’re—” She cut off her words, fearing she would give away more than she meant to.“Your hair is darker than mine, and it shines like a raven’s wing. Your eyes are fathoms deep.”His words made her laugh, but that was to prevent her heart cracking. Once she’d dreamed of a man saying such things to her. But now she knew better. She would never hear that in love. Friendship would have to serve. “My face is too narrow, and I’m too tall.”“You are only too tall for short men,” he said. “I’ll show you. Stand up.”His voice did not ring with command, as she knew it could. Nevertheless, she pushed against the floor and got to her feet, rounding the end of the stool to avoid stumbling. She wanted to put something between them, because her emotions rose until she was barely able to keep her features still.Their hands were still linked. “Satisfied?” She made to pull her hand away, but he only gripped it more firmly.“Not nearly.” He stood too, and then stepped over the bench so they were close.Far too close. In his simple traveling clothes he had the appearance of a gentleman rather than a great lord, but that did not fool her for a minute. She could not think that way. Must not, if she wanted to keep her peace of mind. This close, closer than he’d been for years, he devastated her senses.“See?” he said brightly. “You come up to my shoulder. Far too few ladies do that.”“It makes me stand out too much,” she grumbled. She was not freakishly tall, though. Lanky Annie, the woman in the village who took in sewing from the hall, she was oddly tall. Six feet, her father said.“Not at all. It makes you graceful.” He touched her chin, tilting her head up.This close, the little black pinpricks of beard under his skin were apparent. The way his eyes shaded darker at the edge, to the brilliant shade inside. She stared in wonder, reacquainting herself with him this close.Something else sparked in his eyes, passion and heat, passing from him to her and back again.“A kiss of friendship, Viola,” he murmured, and suited words to actions.Viola lifted her hands, grasping for purchase, and found his coat. She clutched it gratefully as her world spun, realigning into a new space.When he touched her lips with his tongue she opened for him, and he tasted her. Delicately at first, licking softly, like a cat at milk, but then stronger, he entered her mouth with a mastery that made her helpless under his onslaught.Nobody had ever kissed her like this.

You can buy Dilemma in Yellow Silk here:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Apple
All Romance Ebooks
Kensington (Publisher)
See you soon!

September Newsletter

So I got up, turned on my computer and there was a strange smell. Then smoke started curling up the back of my monitor.

Oh dear. I switched it off before it could actually burst into flames, and so I’ve spent most of the day shopping for a new one. I have edits to get in and books to write!

So this newsletter is a day late. Sorry!

Last month I carried on writing the next book in the Even Gods Fall In Love series. What a treat it is to get back to historicals! I do love writing them, going into a different world and writing about people who live there. The one I’m writing concerns Mercury, who you’ll meet in Mad For Love, Bacchus’s story, the second in the series.

There have been some odd coincidences and things that have made this series somewhat spooky. For instance, in Bacchus’s world, mazes feature a lot. He’s the god of wine and madness, so mazes are his thing. What was there a craze for in the mid eighteenth century? Mazes! Tada! That’s only one thing that’s happened. I recently introduced a new character, a nymph, and when I looked up her mythology, she turned out to be the future wife of one of my favourite characters. Blending ancient myth and historical romance has been pure win.

After my frantic gadding about it was nice to get back to my desk, exploding monitors apart. I’ve even joined the world of the mechanical keyboard!

I’m also planning to write the next Emperors of London book. I am wallowing in historicals right now and enjoying every minute.

Unfortunately I haven’t had too much time for contemporaries, and even worse, I seem to have temporarily lost my mojo for them. I’m writing paranormals under a new pseudonym and they are going fine, so I should be happy that those things are going so well. I even got in the Amazon top ten with the pseudonym. I guess that makes me a best seller!

This month there will be a Department 57 re-release. Crystal Tides, another in the Crystal miniseries. When all the series is out, I’ll do a box set of all four. I’ve really enjoyed seeing my backlist get a new lease of life, and the new covers are gorgeous. I was sorry to lose the Loose-Id covers but the new ones are lovely, too.

There will be another in the Thorndykes series out next month. That’s the Regency rakes, who were turned into vampires and shape-shifters, falling in love with women in today’s world. The first one found his lady in Texas in “Dispossessed.” More about “Dancing at Midnight” next month!

Sorry this one is all about books. That’s my thing, you see. Books, reading and writing. This year has been frantic, but deeply enjoyable.

I’m starting to look at flights for RT in Dallas next year, and I’m thinking about stopping in New York on the way, because I love the city and it makes the flights far more bearable. International flying is getting worse, but it’s still manageable. Does anyone have any tips for travelling light? I need formal clothes, informal ones and tough ones for the ranch when I go to stay with Kathryn Falk. A bit of a tall order!

Newsletter for June, 2014

Cait Miller in the Cafe du Monde

Where do I begin? I don’t want to overwhelm you, but I’ve had such a wonderful month!

I’m sitting in Kathryn Falk’s kitchen, in her wonderful ranch in Texas, and it’s a lovely, sunny day. I’m flying home in a few days’ time after a glorious month, and then it’s back to reality.

I started the month with my good friend Cait Miller, who is from Scotland. I flew out to New Orleans on the 6^th May, a gruelling 16 hour flight, but I got there fine, babbling like a budgie from my umpteen cups of coffee in an effort to stay awake so I could get there. I arrived with Megan Bamford and her hubby, having met up with them at the airport and shared their limo. A small car, burdened with 11 pieces of luggage!

One of the street bands of New Orleans

With Captain Lou on our paddle boat tour!

Cait and I explored New Orleans during the next week. It’s an amazing place, one I really want to get back to one day. Very beautiful and unlike any other place I’ve ever been to. The French-not-French atmosphere is intoxicating and the history fascinating. We ate beignets, jambalaya, gumbo and po boys, walked the streets with their masses of shops selling tempting knick knacks and listened to the most competent street bands I’ve ever heard in my life. Although now a tourist trap, New Orleans still retains the atmosphere of edgy fun it’s famous for.

The weekend after my arrival, we moved to the convention hotel, the Marriott on Canal Street. An older hotel, the public spaces were adequate and the rooms comfortable. We went on a memorable visit to the bayou with some other conventioneers, and if you’ve been checking my Facebook account, you’ll know all about that!

The convention was fantastic. Considering it was the largest yet, the organisation was excellent. There were so many people I didn’t have time to hook up with, though I did my best! My first event was the International Reception on the Tuesday, which was a lovely way to start the convention. We had it in the Riverside restaurant on the top floor of the Marriott, the 41^st, a beautiful space, with a magnificent view of the Mighty Mississipi. 200 people were attending the convention from overseas and this was a great way to meet them and share travel stories!

Then the convention itself. I did the virgin class with the awesome PJ Schneider and the equally awesome Janda Montenegro from Brazil. Then we went on to the Welcome Party, in which Megan Bamford and I had a spot. Megan had no idea she was going to win the tiara as Bookseller of the Year. What a hoot to see her delighted face!

The Kensington Signing with Desiree Holt

After that I had to go straight to one of my panels, the History Fan Fictionary, where we try to bamboozle the readers by using obscure words from history. My other panel was Vanilla Erotic, which we want to do again, about things that aren’t BDSM.

I’m trying so hard to keep this short! I did write up my experiences in a bit more detail over at The Good, the Bad and The Unread, so if you want more, hop over there! I’ll wait.

Welcome back. RT was a blast, from the Mardi Gras party, held among the real floats that are used during Mardi Gras, to the pub crawl, when I told fortunes in the pub hosted by my new publisher, Kensington, to the very last evening, when I was so tired I could hardly keep my eyes open.

At the Booksigning

After that, I spent a week with lovely Desiree Holt, mostly planning a project we’re doing together, but also just hanging out and recovering from RT. The weather was amazing, violent thunderstorms and torrential rain. In Texas!

Then I took a short journey to Kathryn Falk’s ranch, a place of beauty and relaxation. It’s a lovely end to a wonderful trip.

Phew! So I’ve had a wonderful month, but after this, don’t expect to hear much from me for a week, as I sleep off the jet lag.

I was thrilled to discover that my new release, Lightning Unbound, reached the Samhain best seller lists! It’s the first in a new series, and one that’s very close to my heart. I absolutely love writing it and I’m thrilled to report that the third in the series has just been accepted.

Where to find Lynne Connolly and her Books 

My website
The hub of everything I do. It's updated regularly, with excerpts, short stories and other goodies:
http://www.lynneconnolly.com

My newsletter and yahoo group.
Members get a monthly newsletter, where the news ALWAYS breaks first, and new excerpts are aired. There is also a free book, available in the Files.
To join, go here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LynneConnolly/
or send an email here:
LynneConnolly-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

UK Historical romance blog:
http://historicalromanceuk.blogspot.com/

My personal blog:
http://lynneconnolly.blogspot.com/

I currently write for Samhain Publishing, Ellora's Cave , Loose-Id , Total E-Bound, Kensington Publishing and Carina Press. So you can find me on their loops and on their websites.

I write columns for Sybil at The Good, The Bad and The Unread:
http://tinyurl.com/6j42ut

And my email is lynneconnollyuk@yahoo.co.uk

Lynne Connolly

Powerful men and the women who love them

http://lynneconnolly.com

News for April, 2012

I’m sitting in Kathryn Falk’s kitchen writing this, and I go home tomorrow. Kathryn’s been a wonderful hostess, as was Desiree Holt before her, and I don’t want to go home. Except for the tree roaches, that is. They are huge, simply enormous, and I don’t like them. Love the geckos, don’t mind the other bugs, but not tree roaches. I’ve discovered where I draw the line.

The RT Booklovers’ Convention was a complete blast. I loved every minute of it. The staff worked so hard to make it a success, the hotel was perfectly great, and I got some business done as well as having a lot of fun! When I get back to the UK, I’ll try to do a special report, for those of you who couldn’t come. Next year, Kansas City! There are going to be some exciting developments, and I’ve been privy to some of the things happening next year, which sound more than exciting. As soon as the Convention is over, they start working on next year’s. awesome, and I’m glad I don’t have to organize it!

So, a few highlights, a lightning tour of my month in the US:

I arrived with Gail Northman, and we had a great week touring and shopping in Chicago. We stayed at a hotel on the Magnificent Mile, shops as far as the eye could see, and really fun. Very few things beat going to a good place with a girlfriend who shares your tastes and interests. We went to the Art Institute, and did lots of shopping, went to the Navy Pier, and then did some more. All ably helped by lovely Laura, not forgetting her brother Rob, who showed us parts of Chicago people don’t usually get to see. Oh yes, and I got some orbs on the ghost tour!

After that, RT itself. I shared with Desiree Holt, and I arrived early, to do some teaching on the precon. I met my current editors, potential future editors, had a really successful Fan Fictionary panel and a panel on using pseudonyms, partied the night away and signed lots of books, not to mention t-shirts, totes and one stomach. A nice, toned, male stomach.

I travelled to Texas and stayed with Desiree Holt. After a couple of necessary pyjama days, we toured the area, and I got to go to the Alamo! Then I came to Kathryn’s, and I’ve had a wonderful time here, too. I went to the gun range and fired lots of handguns, went shopping and met some truly wonderful people, who I will miss when I go home tomorrow. We also went to concerts, from a local American folk artist, to the Houston Symphony Orchestra.

So on to news. I sold two books this month! What a thrill! One to Ellora’s Cave, “Last Enchantment,” a STORM book about a Sorcerer who has lost everything and a vampire who desperately wants her to learn to live again, and “Stripped Bare,” a contemporary erotic romance about a Texan lady in London, to Loose-Id. Thanks to both publishers for their continued support and help in getting these books together. And I had more cover art for Nightstar. The covers for the new (as yet unreleased) series are blazing hot, and beautifully designed.

And a new release (details below).

For those of you who don’t have a copy of “Yorkshire,” it’s on sale this month for the princely price of – nothing. Get it from your preferred outlet of choice. It’s to prepare for the release of the last (for now) Richard and Rose book, “Lisbon,” which comes out next month.

I’ll end with a small apology. It turns out that I can’t update my website from the US, so I'll do it as soon as I get home. Or as soon as I’ve slept off the jetlag, so I can be sure I’m doing it right! Rendezvous at Midnight and Rubies of Fire will get their rightful places on the front page and their own pages will be updated.

Excerpt:

This month sees the release of “Diamonds of Ice,” the companion piece to “Rubies of Fire,” which was released last month. Both books have been heavily rewritten, to take account of their new position in the Department 57 series, and to add even more hotness for your reading pleasure. They don’t have to be read together, they do read perfectly effectively a standalones, it’s just that the fate of one character from “Rubies” is followed through in “Diamonds.”

I am thrilled to see this book out on the virtual shelves again. It’s one of the hardest ones I ever wrote, because of its theme, but I felt very happy with the result.

Because of his blood phobia, vampire Fabrice is happy to die once he’s avenged two murders. Until he meets Gemma. Gemma wants Fabrice for longer than a night. Forever sounds good, but if he starves to death, forever might end next week.

Diamonds of Ice is out on the 29^th May, 2012