September's Coming Attractions!

by Anna Sugden


Phew! Now that we're beginning to recover from Jeanne's awesome launch party ... Zach and the hockey hunks are offering restoratifs and massages ... well, Zach is busy with me, but you can help yourself to one of the others ... it's time to celebrate a new month in the Lair.


A great way to kick off that celebration will be to rush out and buy Jeanne Adam's Deadly Little Secrets - available from September 7th - and Tawny Weber's Riding the Waves - available now!

Or you can click on the cover links here, which will take you straight to Amazon!


And, if that's not enough, here's a tempting taster of the fabulous guests who will be dropping by the Lair this month.


We kick off the month on September 2 with RITA winner Molly O'Keefe (www.molly-okeefe.com), who will be talking about her favorite musician and giving us the scoop on her Superromance trilogy, The Notorious O'Neills, starting with The Temptation of Savannah O'Neill!


On September 3rd, Aunty Cindy hosts paranormal romance author Kendra Leigh Castle,(www.kendraleighcastle.com) who will talk about her new release from Harlequin Nocturne, Renegade Angel. She'll also be happy to answer questions about her other shape-shifter books, and about the new furry beastie in her life.


A Lair favourite returns on the 6th when Jo Davis (www.jodavis.net)talks with Suz about her newest erotic spy romance, I Spy A Naughty Game, the second in Jo's seriously sexy SHADO Agency series. And the pair will have a hint or two about the next firefighter book and something new coming from our friend Jo.

On 7th September, Foanna hosts debut Australian author Christina Phillips (www.christinaphillips.com) who will talk about Forbidden, a smoking hot romance between a Roman aristocrat and a Druid priestess!


Another Lair favourite Nicola Cornick www.nicolacornick.co.uk) joins us on the 16th September, to talk about Whisper of Scandal, the first book in her new series.


MJ Fredrick, yet another Lair favourite, returns to the Lair on 19th September to celebrate the September 6 launch of her latest book, Sunrise Over Texas, from Carina Press, the story of a woman struggling to hold her family together, a man who lost everything and the struggles the two of them endure in the new land...and with a new love.


Addison Fox (www.addisonfox.com)is back to bring us another of her sexy Zodiac Warriors in Warrior Avenged. This exciting new series is only book two of her Warriors of the Zodiac series with plenty more paranormal Zodiac Warriors to come. Check out what has Suz so hot....really....about this new book.


Popular thriller writer Shane Gericke (www.shanegericke.com)joins us on September 24th. Keep an eye out for his new book, Torn Apart!


Rounding off the month on 27th September with another Lair favourite, Miranda Neville (www.mirandneville.com) who will pop by to tell us about the second book in her Burgundy Club series, The Dangerous Viscount.


And, don't forget Anna Campbell is running a fantabulous contest - she is giving away TWO Change of Season Reading Packs in her latest website contest. Each AWESOME pack will include signed copies of My Reckless Surrender by Anna Campbell, Sweetest Little Sin by Christine Wells, His Mistress for a Million by Trish Morey, The Greek's Convenient Mistress by Annie West, Dark Deceiver by Pamela Palmer, and either Does She Dare? or Risque Business by Tawny Weber. Just email Anna on anna@annacampbell.info and tell her one other book by each of these authors (the website links are on her contest page to make it easy) to go into the draw. For more information, please visit Anna's contest page. http://www.annacampbell.info/contest.html

So, with September starting, schools back in business and autumn just around the corner, tell me what are you most looking forward to this month?

Jazz Age Lawn Party

This weekend, Alex, Toby and I took the ferry over to the Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governor's Island.
A jazz band played old-timey tunes, and there was a tug-of-war, pie contest and Charleston lessons.
People dressed up in fabulous 1920's ensembles--lots of pearls, suspenders and straw hats. (I, of course, wore a nursing shirt:)
Toby mingled with the dapper crowd.
And this girl wore the most fabulous swimsuit (which she had made herself). Yowza!

It was a wonderful day! See more photos here. xoxo

From the Library: Random Riel Jazz

Today on gullar sahir's Main stream: Jazz.  Lots of Jazz.  Just under 100 days worth of every Jazz you can imagine...on random.  Enjoy!

gullar sahir produces this program in conjunction with the Alexandrian Free Library Consortium of Second Life. You can listen to the program now at http://main.radioriel.org. Today's music originates from the music library of Gabrielle Riel.

For more information on the Alexandrian Free Library, current exhibits and the work of Consortium members in general, please visit the Alexandrian Free Library website, or one of their branches in-world.

Fall trend #1: Army jacket

This fall, the fashion trends are SO adorable (and accessible), so I figured I'd make a little list of them this week. First up, army jackets! Would you wear this tomboy look? Perfect for the flea market and cider mill.

(Photo by A Continuous Lean)

LAUNCH PARTY!!!!!! Deadly Little Secrets is coming in September!

By Jeanne Adams

So, maybe I'm jumping the gun a bit but....

DEADLY LITTLE SECRETS is headed for a store near you SEPTEMBER 7th!!

And now that I have your attention by putting in something from TWILIGHT (A September calendar page, so it DOES apply!), I'll tell you about DEADLY LITTLE SECRETS.....

I love this book. It was fun to write and even more fun to surprise people (my editor included!) with the twists and turns. The book is about cold cases and art fraud, friendship and danger. How's that for vague? Ha!

It was interesting to research the book, discover how people smuggle paintings and how often, something happens and fabulous art ends up in a yard sale bin, or a library, or hanging on the wall of a little old lady in Poughkeepsie, who has no idea the painting is "real."

(That's one of my favorite paintings by John Singer Sargent over there on the left, by the way. No, quit looking at Robert Pattinson, the painting is over THERE....nevermind.)

Based on some very cool stories about just that sort of thing - lost art - and some other bits here and there, I created a cold case of art fraud for Ana Burton, brilliant, in-the-doghouse CIA agent who screwed up enough to get stuck on cold case duty. Rumor has it her data was wrong, and some of her team got killed. she's not only stuck, she thinks she DID screw up, and if she did, she'll never be the same.

Then there's her opposite number, Gates Bromley. I researched security for high-profile individuals. Who has a body guard and why would you want one? What do they do? How does it work?

So Gates is in charge of security for billionaire art collector, Dav Gianikopolis. After reading about several high-net-worth security mavins, I created Gates. He's at points Dav's partner in business as well, so he's not your average beefy thug, although he's pretty darn delicious, I must say!

At first, he and Ana clash, but within hours of meeting with her about the nine-years-cold-case of art fraud, Gates is shot at, and so is Ana.

Someone wants that cold case to stay buried in the stacks, and they'll stoop to murder to insure it.

(cue suspensful music....)

And that's the story of DEADLY LITTLE SECRETS!

Bwah-ha-ha-ha! Sort of. There's a lot more, and a lot of very, very twisty bits. The one overwhelming statement everyone's made is...."WHOA, I didn't see THAT coming!"

Heh-heh-heh. That's just the way I like it.

Just before the book comes out, the publishing house sends it out for reviews. (This will make you crazy if you let it and it nearly gave me a case of the hives on this one.)

With great thankfulness, I received my third 4.5 star review and a TOP PICK from Romantic Times magazine.

To say that it made my day is a gross understatement. I squealed, I bounced up and down in my office chair. I emailed EVERYONE, then I called everyone: my hubby, the Banditas, my family, people I barely know.
Seriously, I was stoked.

So, between the LAUNCH and a good review, THAT calls for a CELEBRATION! SVEN!!! Bring a round of drinks.

Demetrius! Paolo! Hockey Hunks! Bring on the party hats and streamers! Implore the Goddess Sangria to bless our gathering 'cause

We are havin' a LAUNCH PARTY!!!!!

Let's get out the paint, the wall sized canvas and Paint the TOWN!!!! Grab a drink and a brush and a color and let's GO!!!

(BTW, That's another Sargent over there on the left...)

And if you want to be briefly serious, tell me:

Who your favorite artist is...

What's your favorite research topic...(besides men, and sex...)

What your favorite color is....

And if you've ever kept a secret so well that no one EVER knew....

DOMINO: TONGUE-TIED TUXY ON TUESDAY

What's got your tongue Domino?

P.S. Don't worry, Domino will be back tomorrow with lots to say, because it's her BIRTHDAY!

Anybody Wanna Trade For In The Labyrinth?

It seems I have two copies of The Fantasy Trip - In The Labyrinth, by Metagaming, and a copy of Advanced Wizard, but am missing a copy of Advanced Melee. Anybody out there have an extra copy of Advanced Melee, and would like to trade it for In The Labyrinth?

Anybody Wanna Trade For In The Labyrinth?

It seems I have two copies of The Fantasy Trip - In The Labyrinth, by Metagaming, and a copy of Advanced Wizard, but am missing a copy of Advanced Melee. Anybody out there have an extra copy of Advanced Melee, and would like to trade it for In The Labyrinth?

From the Library: Water Musics

Today's theme is 'Water' and the selections are extraordinarily diverse, from traditional and modern songs of the sea, of ships, and of those who sail in them; to pieces written to evoke rivers and lakes; to items where the water is only imaginary, such as a series of compositions about a voyage to the Moon in a sailing ship, and Karl Jenkins's Imagined Oceans. The styles are equally eclectic, ranging from folk to light to classical and New Age music, and there's even a bit of contemporary popular material.

We hope you will find the programme enjoyable and that it will keep you guessing, not only about what is coming up next, but on occasion what the connection with the central theme actually is: it's in there somewhere, even if it's not obvious from title and artist. Spot the tracks from Malcolm Ironton and others from Rick Stein – a Musical Odyssey for example, or Are We To Part Like This from Mary Jane Newman. What is their connection with water? (Answers below*.)

From the Library is produced by gullar sahir in conjunction with the Alexandrian Free Library Consortium of Second Life. You can listen to the programme now at http://loudcity.com/stations/radio-riel/tune_in. Outside the United States you can tune in on  http://main.radioriel.org or click here to link straight to your player if your browser is set up to do so. Today's programme is presented by Elrik Merlin.

For more information on the Alexandrian Free Library, current exhibits and the work of Consortium members in general, please visit the Alexandrian Free Library website, or one of their branches in-world.

*Rick Stein runs a restaurant in Padstow, Cornwall, specialising in seafood, and this album is from music used in his BBC TV series on cooking with seafood around the British Isles. Are We To Part Like This is taken from Mary Jane Newman's album of music played on the maiden voyage of the SS Titanic.

Curmudgeon Rant

by Jo Robertson

Normally, I’m a happy, cheerful person. I rarely wake up grumpy (unless I’m sick) and I’m generally given to optimistic greetings and lots of pleasant chatter.

Sadly, I live with two men who stumble from bed with a hangover kind of cloud hovering around their heads.

Grumpy, grumpy, grumpy. And neither one drinks!

I’ve learned not to speak to them until it’s nearly noon. Neither drinks coffee so I don’t even have that luxury to magically transform them into something approaching normal.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m a half-empty sort of gal. A realist, a skeptic, a cynic, a doubter of the highest order. But grumpy? No way, no how.

What about you? Cheery or grumpy in the mornings? Do you face each day with a little skip of joy or do such persons, quite frankly, make you sick to your stomach?

Do you need your pickmeup whatever before you're fit to talk to anyone? Or do you leap out of bed ready to meet the world?

ICE Cold Bandit Booty!!

by suzanne

The winner of a signed copy of the cozy mystery, SCOOPED TO KILL by Wendy Watson, is fichen1! Congrats Fedora!!!

Send me your snail-mail info in an e-mail @ swwelsh2001 AT yahoo DOT com (yes there are 2 w's in that addy) and I'll see that Wendy gets that book to you ASAP, before the ice cream melts, hehehe

A year ago today.

Alex, I love you more than ever.

(Photo by Max Wanger)

TFT Adventure: The Crown Of Kings

I've mentioned before that the programmed adventure format was adopted by Metagaming Concepts in 1978 for their The Fantasy Trip line of MicroQuest adventures. That same format was massively popularized in a series of choose-your-own-adventure books from 1979 to 1998.

Dark City Games resurrected The Fantasy Trip rules in 2005, by creating a free retro-clone called Legends of the Ancient World (LotAW). In addition to a fantasy ruleset, two other free rulesets, for science fiction and western adventures, are also available on the DCG website.

Publishing those retro-clone rules allowed Dark City Games to release 19 new MicroQuest adventures, compatible with LotAW.

According to the lore of DCG, The Crown Of Kings adventure was originally submitted to Metagaming some 30 years ago, just as Metagaming was imploding. The Dew brothers, George and Warren, created DCG and LotAW in 2005 in order to publish this, and other adventures, and keep the spirit of The Fantasy Trip alive.

The Crown Of Kings was published in 2005. It is priced at $12.95, and consists of a 44-page booklet, a sheet of cardboard counters representing the characters, monsters and opponents in the adventure, and a playing board used for encounters. The adventure consists of almost 600 paragraph entries, with the players moving from paragraph to paragraph, based on the choices they make at the end of each entry.

The premise of The Crown Of Kings is fairly straightforward. The players have heard rumor that a local warlord is in possession of the legendary Crown of Kings. They decide to break into his castle to steal it.

I must confess, when I read the premise of the adventure, I was hopeful. Surely the Crown of Kings is not simply a crown, I thought, just as the Sphere Of Power from the D&D adventure, The Lost Tomb Of Martek, was something other than a crystal ball. I imagined that the adventure would end with the Players a little wiser, but no richer, having discovered that not all legends are to be taken literally.

Unfortunately, the Crown Of Kings really is a crown, and a magic item to boot. While the adventure is reasonably well written, and features art by Dario Corallo that pleasantly harkens back to the role-playing art of the mid-70's, The Crown Of Kings adventure is a straight-up treasure hunt. There are lots of monsters and opponents to battle, but the authors claim that you can also complete this adventure without having to engage in a single combat.

If you are interested in some light role-playing, or would like to discover what The Fantasy Trip was all about, you may enjoy giving LotAW a chance. DCG has four free adventures available from the website, as well as the free rules. For those who have played some or all of the original MicroQuests, you may want to give The Crown Of Kings or some of the other DCG adventures a try. While this particular adventure seems a little overpriced, at $12.95, some of the other adventures, such as The Dark Vale, are well worth it.

TFT Adventure: The Crown Of Kings

I've mentioned before that the programmed adventure format was adopted by Metagaming Concepts in 1978 for their The Fantasy Trip line of MicroQuest adventures. That same format was massively popularized in a series of choose-your-own-adventure books from 1979 to 1998.

Dark City Games resurrected The Fantasy Trip rules in 2005, by creating a free retro-clone called Legends of the Ancient World (LotAW). In addition to a fantasy ruleset, two other free rulesets, for science fiction and western adventures, are also available on the DCG website.

Publishing those retro-clone rules allowed Dark City Games to release 19 new MicroQuest adventures, compatible with LotAW.

According to the lore of DCG, The Crown Of Kings adventure was originally submitted to Metagaming some 30 years ago, just as Metagaming was imploding. The Dew brothers, George and Warren, created DCG and LotAW in 2005 in order to publish this, and other adventures, and keep the spirit of The Fantasy Trip alive.

The Crown Of Kings was published in 2005. It is priced at $12.95, and consists of a 44-page booklet, a sheet of cardboard counters representing the characters, monsters and opponents in the adventure, and a playing board used for encounters. The adventure consists of almost 600 paragraph entries, with the players moving from paragraph to paragraph, based on the choices they make at the end of each entry.

The premise of The Crown Of Kings is fairly straightforward. The players have heard rumor that a local warlord is in possession of the legendary Crown of Kings. They decide to break into his castle to steal it.

I must confess, when I read the premise of the adventure, I was hopeful. Surely the Crown of Kings is not simply a crown, I thought, just as the Sphere Of Power from the D&D adventure, The Lost Tomb Of Martek, was something other than a crystal ball. I imagined that the adventure would end with the Players a little wiser, but no richer, having discovered that not all legends are to be taken literally.

Unfortunately, the Crown Of Kings really is a crown, and a magic item to boot. While the adventure is reasonably well written, and features art by Dario Corallo that pleasantly harkens back to the role-playing art of the mid-70's, The Crown Of Kings adventure is a straight-up treasure hunt. There are lots of monsters and opponents to battle, but the authors claim that you can also complete this adventure without having to engage in a single combat.

If you are interested in some light role-playing, or would like to discover what The Fantasy Trip was all about, you may enjoy giving LotAW a chance. DCG has four free adventures available from the website, as well as the free rules. For those who have played some or all of the original MicroQuests, you may want to give The Crown Of Kings or some of the other DCG adventures a try. While this particular adventure seems a little overpriced, at $12.95, some of the other adventures, such as The Dark Vale, are well worth it.