West Houston RWA

Julia London is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of more than fifteen published novels. She is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Achievement in Historical Fiction award, and a three-time finalist for the RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. Her books have been translated into ten foreign languages and are published in more than a dozen foreign countries. She lives in her own little fantasy world with a husband and two dogs in Austin, Texas.Julia will be presenting a morning and a afternoon workshop.

The Art of Writing with Humor: Ten Tips to Using Humor in Your Work
An Interactive WorkshopAs authors, we work to portray emotions that readers can relate to, and sometimes the best way to make a stubborn reader relate is through healthy dashes of humor. Humor is a universal language, and no matter how deep the topic, a dash of it can always improve your writing.Julia London offers ten tips for using humor in your work, and a couple of exercises to bring out the funny side in you.

The Seven Highly Effective Promotion Habits of Bestselling Authors
A Roundtable Discussion

Julia London surveys several bestselling authors about their experiences in promoting their work, and uses the aggregate results for a roundtable discussion of the most effective ways to promote your book, both in terms of cost and effectiveness

Tentative Schedule for June 9th:

8:30-9:00 -> Registration and coffee
9:00-9:45 -> Business Meeting with Pal Reviews
9:45-10:15 -> Coffee and Social Break
10:15-11:45 -> “The Art of Writing with Humor: Ten Tips to Using Humor in Your Work”
11:45-12:15 -> Introductions
12:15-1:30 -> Lunch and Booksigning with Julia London and local authors
1:30-3:00 -> “The Seven Highly Effective Promotion Habits of Bestselling Authors”

Wicked Fantasy
By Nina Bangs
Berkley Sensation
May 2007
ISBN13: 978-0-425-20995-0

Attention all Nina Bangs fans: The fact that Sparkle Stardust meets another cosmic mischief maker named Edge, who is as powerful as she is and willing to take her on, should be incentive enough for you to run, not walk, to buy your copy of
Wicked Fantasy!

This final saga in the Castle of Dark Dreams trilogy is a sensational tangled web of conflict, sexual tension, bets and favors made in the short term that will be ruinous in the long term and answers to mysteries arced from the previous two novels.

Ancient warrior Conall O’Rourke, the third “brother” residing in the Castle, believes he may be at the end of an 800 year old curse brought on by killing Goddess Morrigan’s lover, Sean Kavanagh, in battle. Conall’s been doomed to protect all Kavanaghs ever since, a bitter task since they’re his sworn enemies Now he sees light at the end of the tunnel because there’s one last remaining Kavanagh human being and he’s just received a message the jerk’s checked into the castle for a stay.

Imagine his surprise then, when the beautiful woman he’s been scoping out at the new bar is introduced to him as Gerry Kavanagh. A woman?! Well, he’ll have to put aside his attraction and focus on keeping this hot little enemy safe.

Gerry has never heard of Conall or the curse. She’s dealing with her own secrets and career issues and definitely does not appreciate suddenly being saddled with a warrior protector and all his pent up hostility. But, he sure is a magnificent, sensual male…

When attempts on Gerry’s life begin occurring, Conall and Gerry are forced to partner up to solve the mystery, which builds the sexual attraction between them into a white hot, gripping page turner. The romantic plot and hilarious subplots will keep your head spinning to the very last page. Translation: an absolute Must Read.

Delving into the familiar, well developed characters and setting once again is like cozying up to your favorite TV show after the summer hiatus. You’re excited to meet up with everyone again and become enthralled in their latest adventures. Brava once more, Nina!

-reviewed by Sarah Andre

To The Rescue
By Teri Thackston
Cerridwen Press
ISBN 9781419908484

Author Amy Bartlett has a history of being attracted to strong-willed, controlling men. After having her life threatened by the evil Ford MacKay, she is more convinced than ever that she needs an artistic man, an intellectual… someone with zero need to control her.

When Ford escapes from prison, Amy finds herself in the protective custody of sexy Deputy Marshal Jacob Kissman. He is confident there is more to their feelings for one another than sex. Not that the sex wouldn’t be great… but his gut tells him it’s much more.

Amy’s best friend is a psychologist who warns her not to fall into the “rescuer” fantasy, which proves harder each day when Jacob is forced to rescue her from danger regularly… from snakes to killers. A series of dreams involving Jacob rescuing her has her questioning her logic. What’s so bad about getting rescued, anyway?

To the Rescue begins at breakneck speed and keeps the reader’s interest throughout the story. It’s a must read!

- Review by Lara Chapman

Author News

Nina Bangs received a 4 ½ Star, Top Pick Review in the May edition of RomanticTimes Magazine, for Wicked Fantasy. This isn’t Nina’s first Top Pick, and we’re sure it won’t be her last!

Tune into KTRH for Gerry Bartlett’s interview with Tracee Evans ( www.ktrh.com ). Specifically, click the following pull-downs – “Blogs”, then “Bookmark This”. At the bottom of Tracee Evans’ page, you’ll see Gerry’s Real Vampires Have Curves book cover (among other familiar covers and names!) Gerry’s interview will be played in April in advance of the RT Convention.

TJ Bennett launched her new website this month. Check out her beautiful on-line “crib” at www.tjbennett.com

Applause for Christie Craig, whose entry, Under the Precious Sky, took first place in the Spicy Hot category of the North Texas RWA Great Expectations contest. She garnered a request for a full from Laura Barth of Harlequin Books. Christie also won Best of the Best (1st Place!) for her novel, Fatal Promise.

Michelle Dunaway has a lot of news this month! The cover for Legally Tender is a nominee in the 2006 Cover Café Cover Contest – you can still cast your vote at www.covercafe.com. But that’s not all! Her current release, Nine Months’ Notice, ranked #19 on the Waldenbooks/Borders series bestselling list for the week ending 4/14/07. Wait, but that’s not all! Michelle shared the good news that she’d be writing two NASCAR ‘08 continuity books. This is her 20th sale to Harlequin — her 20th in 8 years. Congratulations on that exciting achievement, Michelle!

In big news, two WHRWA members received Romance Writers of America RITA nominations. Deeanne Gist’s The Measure of a Lady received a Romance Writers of America RITA nomination in the Inspirational category. Kristi Gold received a RITA nomination for her book, House of Midnight Fantasies, Best Short Contemporary category. Kudos, ladies! We will all be cheering loudly for you in July!

*** Four past members of WHRWA also received RITA nominations: Jolie Kramer, Christina Dodd, Susan Wiggs and Kimberly Raye.

Tracy Goodwin’s novel, Dance With Deception, has had its publication date moved up to November 28, 2007.

Donna Malloy has super news to share. Her entry won first place in the Young Adult category of the North Texas RWA Great Expectations contest. Her story, Legend of the Fox, is about a Regency-era shape shifter. She received a request for a full from Michelle Grajkowski at Three Seas Literary Agency.

Let’s celebrate with Barbara Dawson Smith, whose novel, Countess Confidential, won the prestigious 2006 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, Historical Category.

Kerrylyn Sparks latest release, Be Still My Vampire Heart, has spent three weeks on the USA Today Bestseller list and the Borders bestselling romance list. For the week ending 4/15, it made the Publisher’s Weekly top 15 bestselling mass market paperbacks, thus making Kerrelyn eligible for RWA’s Honor Roll of bestselling authors.

Congratulations to Colleen Thompson, who announced she has signed a contract to write a fourth romantic suspense novel for Dorchester — The Salt Maiden is slated for release at the end of 2007. Colleen shares even more good news! Her first three romantic suspense titles, Fatal Error, Fade the Heat, and The Deadliest Denial will be translated and published in German by Verlagruppe Random House. Never one to rest on her laurels, Colleen will be teaching a course through PASIC in May, “What You Need to Know When You’re About To Sell!” Register at http://www.pasic.net//classes.html

Jessica Trapp’s sexy historical, Master of Desire, is a finalist in Passionate Ink’s 2006 Passionate Plume contest for Published Authors.

Kimberly Ungar, who writes as Jolie Mathis, was excited to learn her debut historical, The Sea King, is finalist for 2006 Best First Book in the HOLT Medallion Contest. In late breaking news, she has also agreed to a two-book deal with NAL for her Victorian paranormal series, the first of which is currently (and likely temporarily) titled Shadow Hunter.

Let’s hear applause for Linda Warren! Her book, The Bad Son, was announced winner of the prestigious 2006 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, Long Contemporary category.

Diva News

Let’s all celebrate with Patty Henderson, who finaled in HeRA’s 2007 Show Me the Spark contest with her entry, Dancing With Tadpoles. This is extra exciting news to Patty because this is her first contest final! Her entry moves on to be read by Laura Barth at Harlequin Books and Jennifer Jackson of the Donald Maas Literary Agency.

Judythe Hixson is pleased to announce Annie’s Heart is a finalist in the Inspirational category of CRW Heart of the Rockies (Unpublished) Contest. Annie’s Heart also received Honorable Mention in the 5th Annual Reading Writers Fiction Contest. This is an annual contest sponsored by Reading Writers website, http://readingwriters.com/welcome.htm. Their next writing contest will feature Flash Fiction.

Christy Janisse, writing as Brandy Jordan, had some thrilling news. Her novel, Mistaken, ranked #4 at Fictionwise.com for the week of 4/6/07. Look for the paperback release of this book on May 11, 2007.

Georgia Ward (Tribell) received a wonderful four steaming cups review from Coffeetime Romance for her exciting New Concepts release, Firestarter.

Please send Kimberly Ungar/Jolie Mathis, The author of the award winning book The Sea King, your news at whosinthenews@whrwa.com by the 15th of each month.