A New Day, A New Launch Party!

by Beth

It's launch party time again in the lair! THE PRODIGAL SON is out now and I'm thrilled to celebrate its release with my fellow Bandits, our Bandit Buddies and, of course, Sven, the Gladiators and the Hockey Hunks ;-)

THE PRODIGAL SON is the second book in my Diamond Dust trilogy for Harlequin Superromance and tells the story of Matt Sheppard, the youngest of three brothers, and Connie Henkel, who works as the vineyard manager for the Sheppard's winery. Here's what the back cover says:

He always gets what he wants--and that's made Matt Sheppard an international success as a vintner. So he never saw his mother's blackmail coming. She says she'll sell the family's vineyard if he doesn't stay put for exactly one year. But running the Diamond Dust with his brothers was his father's dream, not his. Now he's shackled to the place by familial ties as strong as vines and tight enough to strangle him.

Worse, he's forced to work with a resentful manager, Connie Henkel. Her mile-long legs can't distract him from his goal: to improve the business and get out as soon as he can. Because if the single mom entwines herself around Matt's heart, he'll never be able to leave.

Here's a quick excerpt from when Connie approaches Matt after his brother's bachelor party:

“So,” Connie said, turning slightly in her seat to face him. “How’d the party go? Anything wild happen? Any Hangover moments?”

He grinned, appreciating her reference to the movie. “No tigers or babies have been spotted and as far as I know, everyone still has all of their teeth.”

“As long as the groom does, that’s all that matters.” The bartender set a glass of ice water in front of her and Connie smiled her thanks to him. Took a sip before clearing her throat. “Look, about last night--”

“Are you going to apologize?”

Her pretty mouth thinned. “For putting an arrogant man in his place? Can’t say I’ve ever regretted that,” she told him, reminding him of his words when he’d asked if he should apologize for kissing her.

“So you’re obviously not here to beg my forgiveness. Did you come over expecting me to apologize?”

Brushing her short bangs to the side, she stared down at her water. His own fingers twitched with the need to touch her hair. To see if it was a soft as he imagined.

“I came over because…” She stirred the ice in her glass with her straw then abruptly let go and met his eyes. “I came over because you looked…alone.”

“Hard to be alone when I’m surrounded by people.”

“Okay,” she said slowly. “Maybe alone wasn’t the right word. More like…lonely.”

The muscles in his shoulders tensed but he didn’t move. Couldn’t. Not when his breath was locked in his chest. Not when he was afraid she was right.

Still, he forced a grin. “Not lonely,” he assured her as he deliberately slid his gaze down her figure lazily before holding her gaze. “But glad for the company anyway.”

Enough chit chat...let's get this party started!! Crank up the margarita machine! Dim the lights! Buff the Cabana Boys! And, most importantly, turn up the music! This is a party after all, and what better way to celebrate then by hitting the dance floor?

What song gets you out on the dance floor? What song gets your groove thang shaking when you hear it, no matter if you're at home, in your car or at the store? I'll give away copies of THE PRODIGAL SON to two commenters today!

Kate Carlisle: LAUNCH PARTY!!!!!

Launch party!!!! Launch party!!!! Bring on the cabana boys and the margaritas! The caterer is taking special requests, so shout them out!

MURDER UNDER COVER, the fourth book of my Bibliophile Mysteries series, is out tomorrow, and you know what that means: sudden, overwhelming panic about my hair. I’m going on book tour, and I must have fabulous hair.

I haven’t had great luck communicating my needs to hair stylists in the past. I go in early, thinking that I can flip through their books to find the style I want. The problem is, many of their books are either outdated or way too avant garde. I just don’t think I’d look good in a blue Mohawk. Although… it would make my blue eyes pop.

This year, I decided to do my searching in advance, and I want your help deciding which is the right look for me. Since I’m releasing a mystery novel, I’m going to limit my search to hairstyles found on my favorite mystery shows on TV. I am convinced that having mystery show hair will send a subliminal message to book buyers that they will love my book as much as they love the show. I’ll do anything to sell my book. Extensions, color, cut, even – gasp! – a perm (as a last resort).

So here goes… whose hair looks best on me?

Kyra Sedgwick from The Closer:

Either of the blondes on Psych:

Maybe I should go dark. I love Mariska Hargitay… but should I do Season 1?

Or the shorter years?

I have to say, Elliot does not look impressed with the dark hair/blonde bangs look in either picture. And honestly, I want to impress him even more than I want to sell copies of MURDER UNDER COVER.

Finally, from another favorite show, NCIS, I could totally rock Pauley’s hair, don’t you think?

What do you think? Which ‘do should I do? Or do you have a better suggestion for whose hair I should try? What’s your favorite mystery show hairstyle?

Thank you for celebrating the release of MURDER UNDER COVER with me! I hope you’ll rush out tomorrow to get your copy! You can get a sneak peek at Chapter 1 on my website: http://katecarlisle.com/murder-under-cover.php

Trish is having a Launch Party!!

First, thanks to Tawny for giving up her normal blogging day so I could have a launch party here in the Lair to celebrate the publication of my first women's fiction novel, Living in Color. This is a bit of a departure from my normal romance and young adult novels, but it's a story I really thought deserved to be out there in the world. That's why I decided to hop on the self-publishing wave and give it a whirl to see what happened.

It's a different type of experience being in charge of every aspect of the writing, editing, marketing and distribution of one's book. So far the only thing I've not done myself is design the cover. I knew I had no talent in that arena, so I enlisted the talented Kimberly Killion at Hot Damn Designs, and I think she did a lovely job. I firmly believe covers are important because they're the face of your book, the first impression. I have no doubt that there are really good books out there that don't get read as many times as they should because they've had the misfortune of having bad covers, though I've been very fortunate with all of my covers to date (thank you, Harlequin and Penguin!). I also believe that the book beyond the cover has to live up to good packaging. I hope readers believe Living in Color does that.

Living in Color is a mother-daughter road trip story, one that leads to healing and some unexpected discoveries. Here's the blurb:

After the death of her father, Sabrina Bishop feels a sense of relief that he's gone. No longer will he be able to abuse her mother mentally or physically, and just maybe her mother might grow to see what he'd done to her was wrong. But with the death of Jim Bishop, Sabrina is now responsible for her mother's well being since Ruby can't read or write and has lived a sheltered life. But Ruby has a very small comfort zone in rural West Tennessee, and that means she can't come live with Sabrina in Atlanta. Besides, Sabrina's job as an award-winning news photographer keeps her traveling around the globe most of the time. As she tries to make suitable plans for her mother's future, Sabrina offers to take Ruby on a road trip to expose her to a world she's never seen. As they travel to sites such as Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone National Park and the Gulf Coast of Florida, the trip becomes a journey of unexpected healing and self-discovery not only for Ruby, but for Sabrina as well.
~~~
As someone who doesn't like to fly, I take a good amount of road trips. I actually enjoy driving long distances and being able to stop wherever I want whenever I want. So I thought I'd share my top five favorite road trip destinations I've been to.

1. Yellowstone National Park -- My sister worked at the park for a year, so I visited once while she was there and a couple more times since then. It's absolutely gorgeous, and I always want to spend more time there.

2. San Antonio and the Hill Country of Texas -- My good friend Mary lives in San Antonio, so I've driven there several times. Last month, we also took a trip up to Fredericksburg in the Hill Country so I could do some research for the trilogy I'm writing for Harlequin American. Some of my favorite stops on this trip are the missions along the Mission Trail in San Antonio -- the Alamo and four others (San Jose, Espada, San Juan and Concepcion).

3. Destin/Ft. Walton Beach, Florida (in the sunset photo) -- I love the Gulf Coast. It's so relaxing there. I love driving along the roads that follow the beach, listening to the waves.

4. Outer Banks, N.C. -- Home to Cape Hatteras and several other lighthouses, Cape Hatteras National Seashore (wonderful because it's undeveloped like so many stretches of beach), and Kitty Hawk, site of the Wright Brothers' famous flight.

5. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN and N.C. -- The roads that crisscross this park pass by waterfalls, beautiful mountain streams, lush green mountains, stunning wildflowers, historic structures of past mountain communities, and even the occasional black bear. It is one of the most richly bio-diverse places it the world and is thus designated an International Biosphere Reserve. And it has the benefit of only being about four hours from my house. :)

What I'd like to know from you all is:

a. Do you like road trips?

b. What are some of your favorite road trips and destinations?

c. Any fun (or horrible) road trip stories to share?

I'll pick a winner from today's comments to receive a road map of the United States and a $5 Starbucks gift card to get you started off right on your very own road trip.

If you'd like to read Living in Color (it's a great Mother's Day gift -- hint, hint), you can download it at:

Amazon.com for Kindle

Barnesandnoble.com for Nook

Smashwords.com for Sony e-reader, iPad and various other formats, including for your desktop computer

Okay, break out the freshly made cookies (I hope Joanie made them, and I'd like to request they be just like the ones she made for one of our Bandita get-togethers -- yum!), your favorite non-alcoholic beverage (we are driving, after all), and road map and hit the road!

Breaking the Rules Launch and Delicious Desserts

by Tawny

We’re coming up on Valentine’s Day and I’m celebrating the launch of my 10^th (OMGOMGOMG – TEN!!!) book release. So I do think it’s party time!

BREAKING THE RULES:

What do you get when you mix a military hero on a mission with an independent artist hell-bent on proving something? A battle that can only be won between the sheets.

Sophia Castillo is finally calling the shots in her life, and she’s determined to stay in charge. The last thing she needs is a babysitter. Not even a babysitter as sexy as US Army Sergeant First Class and EOD Squad Leader, Maximillian St. James. But when someone is sabotaging her art gallery, she turns to Max for help. When he proves to be a challenge to her independence, she lays down their relationship rules. Hot sex, good times and a lot of laughs are all good. Anything involving their hearts is strictly off limits. Before they catch the vandal, Max and Sophia both have to decide just which rules they are willing to break, and how high a price they are willing to pay.

So it’s time to party here in the Lair. And what better way to party than to have Sven man the bar, offering champagne, margaritas and chocolatinis. The cabana boys will be coming around with some special, romantic Valentines inspired desserts – because what better way to celebrate a February release than to tie it into the most romantic holiday of the year.

As our hunky boys make their rounds, here’s what they’ll be offering…

Tawny’s Top Ten Sexy Valentines Desserts

1. Four Layer chocolate mousse cake with ganache

2. Whipped cream. Just, you know, all fluffy and inviting there in a bowl.

3. Strawberries dipped in chocolate. They can visit the whipped cream bowl if you’d like.

4. Éclairs. I imagine eating an éclair like Lady and the Tramp ate spaghetti *g* Nibbling toward the middle together!

5. Tiramisu. Rich, decadent, delicious!

6. Brownie ala mode. Hot chocolate and cold ice cream. Oh my!

7. Flambe Cherries Jubilee. Ohhh, talk about inspiring flaming passion!

8. Caramel Rum Fondue. Dippable, lickable, pourable. So many possibilities.

9. Crème Brulee. Simply delicious, with its crispy sugary crust.

10. Gourmet Chocolate Truffles. Bite sized bits of sexy deliciousness.

Is your mouth watering yet? Mine is! I love dessert anytime, but sexy romantic desserts just have an extra layer of irresistibility.

Which dessert will you be indulging in (remember, all desserts served in the Lair are calorie free!) Is there a dessert you consider romantic, or think of for Valentine’s Day, that isn’t included here? Just mention it and one of our sexy servers will make it happen for you!!!

To celebrate the release of BREAKING THE RULES, I’m giving away some Valentine’s treats to one lucky commenter today! A hand-crafted (by me) heart-shaped tin filled with candy, and a book of the winner’s choice from my backlist!

Be sure and check out my upcoming party!

Valentines Party!

I’m so excited that my tenth release, BREAKING THE RULES, is on shelves now! I loved writing this story, because it focuses on something near and dear to my heart – a Military Hero (my own hero-hubby was in the Army). Even more fun was making this a Valentine’s story, complete with hearts and flowers.

To celebrate, I’m having an invitation-only Valentine’s Day Party! Including:

* A downloadable short story written just for this party as a door prize for everyone who attends

* A sexy Top Ten to wind up my Top Ten tour: Ten Tips for a Hot Valentine’s Night

* One lucky person will win a Valentine’s Basket!

All you have to do to join the fun is go to the Breaking the Rules Valentines Party page on my website, and let me know you’d like an invitation!

Launch Party! Kate Carlisle's SWEET SURRENDER!

By Kate

Hurray! The big day has finally arrived! It's SWEET SURRENDER, BABY SURPRISE release day.

This calls for a cake! No, make that cupcakes, in honor of Julia Parrish, my heroine, who has taken the West Coast by storm with her world-class cupcake creations. We’ll decorate our Cupcake Party with pictures of fabulous, colorful cupcakes.

Julia is sexy and she knows how to bake almost anything. How can Cameron Duke possibly resist her? Not to mention, she’s the mother of the son he didn’t know he had.

Seriously, what man can resist a woman who travels with her own ingredients for hot chocolate and whipped cream? Certainly not Cameron Duke! See for yourself in this excerpt ...

She reached into a drawer and pulled out her own hand mixer, poured cream into a bowl, threw in a heaping spoonful of sugar, and began to mix it up. Less than four minutes later, she had a bowl of thick, pillowy whipped cream. She poured the thick, creamy chocolate into two small coffee cups, added a dollop of whipped cream on top, and handed one to Cameron.

“Sip the chocolate through the cream,” she instructed. “That way, you get the hot with the cold, but you don’t dilute either.”

She stood inches away, watching him as he tried the concoction. He watched her, too, as he sipped the hot, creamy chocolate through the cool, soft whipped cream. It was possibly the most sweetly decadent thing he’d ever eaten.

“Well?” she said.

He stared at her and wondered what the chocolate and whipped cream might taste like when licked off her breasts.

“It’s almost immoral, it’s so good,” he said, his voice husky.

Her cheeks began to turn pink again and he found he enjoyed making her blush. He also savored watching her realize the direction his thoughts were traveling.

She coughed to clear her throat. “So, you like it?”

“Like it?” He took another long sip and emptied the cup. “Yeah. I’d suggest you package it, but I’m afraid it might be banned in thirty or forty states.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” she said demurely, and placed her cup on the counter. “Thank you.”

“No, thank you. It was delicious.” He put down his cup and reached for her. “I want to taste it on your tongue.”

Before she could utter a word of protest, his mouth consumed hers.

Consumed. Isn’t that a great word? Devoured. Another good one. He hungered for her. Passion and food are closely intertwined, and poor Cameron is besieged on both counts. His deepest, darkest fear is that his father’s abusive anger lives inside of him, so he’s determined never to fall in love. If he keeps his flings frothy and casual, then he’ll never hurt a woman the way his father hurt his mother. But although Julia’s cupcakes are whimsical, she clearly isn’t made for “casual.” She’s a forever kind of girl, and Cameron doesn’t do forever.

Thank you for celebrating with me! Let's get the party going! What’s your favorite flavor of cake or cupcake? What was the last occasion on which you had it? What is your go-to treat when you want to celebrate a big event in your life? How do you feel about whipped cream?

I’ll give a random commenter a $25 Amazon e-gift card, which you can use to buy SWEET SURRENDER, BABY SURPRISE, naturally, or any of these cupcake books -- or whatever strikes your fantasy. The contest is open to anyone in the world who can use an Amazon e-gift card.

And don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list at www.katecarlisle.com!

A Marine For Christmas Launch Party!

by Beth

I'm so happy to be celebrating the release of my 5th book for Harlequin Superromance, A MARINE FOR CHRISTMAS!

I have to admit, writing this story wasn't easy but with the help of my fabulous editor, Victoria Curran, and Tawny, the most fantastic critique partner ever, I was able to muddle through and get to the heart of the story. Here's the back cover:

Growing up in her perfect sister's shadow wasn't easy. Especially because J. C. Montgomery had been in love with Liz's boyfriend for as long as she could remember. Brady Sheppard, a guy who thought of her as only the kid sister. But that all changed when Liz married somebody else and Brady ended up in bed with J.C.! It was like a dream come true.

Except now J.C.'s pregnant. And Brady's a wounded marine, so it's going to be difficult for him to get down on one knee and tell her she's his reason for living…. But he will.Because she still believes in Santa Claus.

Instead of an excerpt (though, if you'd like to read an excerpt you can find one on eHarlequin and a different one on my website) I thought I'd give you all a taste of A MARINE FOR CHRISTMAS' beginning, middle and end.

Beginning - It might have been the numerous shots of whiskey and the goading of his fellow drinkers down at The Empire Bar, but Brady Sheppard thought crashing his ex-fiancé’s wedding was the best idea he’d had in years.

Middle - “That’s it?” He’d figured it’d be something…bigger. Stop drinking. Or go back to physical therapy. Bare his soul to some shrink.

End - And then—disheveled, contented and, if she wasn’t mistaken, mended—Brady Sheppard smiled. At her.

As you might be able to see, Brady does some growing and changing throughout the story *g*

It wasn't until I actually wrote these out that I realized how much you can tell about the story just from these few lines. Now I'm wondering if that will hold true for other stories as well. Shall we find out?

Just give us a line or two from the beginning, middle and end of the book you're currently reading. We'll call this a Launch Party Experiment *g* And don't forget to pull up a comfy spot, pour yourself a drink and enjoy the party!

I'll give away THREE copies of A MARINE FOR CHRISTMAS so leave a comment for your chance to win!

Launch Party: The Lies that Bind by Kate Carlise

Today, we’re celebrating the November 2 release of THE LIES THAT BIND! Can I hear a “Woo hoo?” Yeah!

I have to confess I LOVE this book! My protagonist is back in San Francisco, teaching a class on bookbinding—and investigating murder, naturally! All my favorite characters are back, too, and some fascinating facts will be revealed about several of them. I hope y’all love the book as much as I do!

Now for the par-tay! Bring your PJs because this is a good, old-fashioned slumber party! We’re going to play games, eat way too much sugar, and in honor of Halloween, we’re going to read a spooky story.

But not too spooky.

(Yes, the story we’ll read is THE LIES THAT BIND. Hey, it’s my party! THE LIES THAT BIND is a cozy mystery, so the emphasis is on the mystery, not the blood. No nightmares.)

Here’s a new game we’re going to play—and it makes for a fun ice breaker. Just go to your favorite search engine and search for the following phrases, with quotation marks. Then come back and tell us what you learned about yourself.

1. “[Your name] loves to”

I searched for “Kate loves to.” The first two things I love to do (apparently) are X-rated, so we’ll just skip right past those as I pretend I’m not blushing. Some of the other phrases that appear are:

“A tall blonde bombshell, Kate loves to have fun!” – Okay, I can go for that.

“Kate loves to read.” – That’s certainly true.

“Kate loves to say, ‘I don’t look like a Rodriguez.’” – This was apparently from Kate Hudson but holds equally true for me.

2. “[Your name] hates to”

“Kate hates to be without a man in her life.” – Also from Kate Hudson, and also somewhat true for me. I do love my husband.

“Kate hates to sweat, and this was just another opportunity for her to be difficult.” – It’s like they can read my mind.

“Kate hates to leave the kitchen when a customer wants to compliment her on one of her special dishes.” – So not true. I am always happy to leave the kitchen. In fact, I’m happy to avoid going into the kitchen.

3. “When I met [your name] she”

“When I met Kate she had to ask somebody to check the ladies toilets before she'd go in to see if any spiders were lurking…” – What can I say? Spiders have it in for me.

“When I met Kate, she was working as an art director for a top agency in San Francisco.” – This could be me! Except it’s not. But it could be!

“As a sailor, I had had a few sexual encounters, but they all ended when I met Kate. She had told me on our wedding night she was a virgin…” – Wow. I have led an exceedingly interesting life.

Okay, now it’s your turn. Do your google searches (I’ll wait here!) and let us know what you found out about yourself. And if you have ideas for other fun phrases to search, share them. It’s fun to be a girl! (I’m pretty sure men don’t do things like this.)

What’s your favorite slumber party snack? Cheetos? Candy Corn? Pizza? (I’m leaning toward Kit Kat bars and Bailey’s on the Rocks. :D)

I’m giving away a signed copy of THE LIES THAT BIND today! Just leave a comment for a chance to win!

A Launch Party with Plenty of Blarney!

posted by gullar sahir

Cabana Boys! Break out the blenders and fill the taps with green beer!

LAUNCH DAY IS HERE for The Wild Irish Sea!

It seems like only last July, I was stuck in the depths of the deadline cave trying to FTFD (finish the first draft) of this book. Oh wait, that's exactly what I was doing... Well, I'm thrilled to say that all that hard work has paid off!

It was such a treat for me to be able to return to Ireland to tell another story of suspense, magic, and love. I hope you'll enjoy reading about my characters and their adventures as much as I enjoyed writing about them.

Even though the 'official' release day is July 6th (the same day as another Bandita's book *KOFF*Susan's Money Honey*KOFF), I received my author copies last week (SQUEE! It's even prettier in person), and Amazon is already shipping copies. I haven't seen a copy in my local bookstore yet, but I figure it is in the back room waiting for the clerk who stocks the romance section to put it out.

The reviews have started coming in and so far they have been mostly positive. (Check out The Long and Short of It Reviews, My Book Addiction and More, and The Romance Studio if you want to read a few.) And in case you haven't already heard what the story is about, here's a blurb to entice you into reading more:

The telepathic image of her twin brother Parker fighting for his life sends Amber O’Neill rushing to the rocky shores of Ireland. Desperate to find him, she turns to reclusive local inspector Kevin Hennessey.

His past full of pain, Kevin has withdrawn from the world. But when the rain-drenched American appears on his doorstep with her wild tales of danger, something more than her sensuous beauty makes it impossible for him to turn her away.

The wildness of the sea, the mystery of a selkie prince, and a dangerous band of ruthless smugglers bring two lost souls together in a connection of mind, body, and spirit that can’t be denied.

Now time's a wastin'! Today is for celebrating and we need to get started. I think the Cabana Boys have the first round of drinks ready to go. The gladiators have set up a chocolate fountain in the foyer. And Sven is loosening up his magic fingers for a massage marathon!

It's 5 o'clock somewhere, so raise your glasses of cyber-bubbly and help me toast my new book!
Sláinte! (that's Irish Gaelic for "To Your Health") and Croi follain agus gob fliuch! (A healthy heart and a wet mouth!)

Now no Launch Party in the Lair would be complete without a giveaway, but instead of the usual random selection, I'm going to hold a wee contest.

All true Irishmen (and women!) are born with a gift of the gab. In fact, most are so proficient that Irish "storytelling" has become legendary. Those with the most well-developed and creative abilities are said to have "kissed the Blarney stone" or simply be "full of Blarney." Yes, yer olde Aunty has received such accolades on more than one occasion. Here's an example of what I mean:

Sure and I've not had a decent amount of sleep in 47 days and nights, then. No amount of pills, potions, or other remedies known to mankind have shut my eyes for more that a moment or two, not even a wee drop of medicinal whiskey. Saints in heaven, but a massage with Sven's magic fingers should have helped, but alas no! 'Tis in right desperate straits, I am, but I'm thinking that reading a few pages of Aunty Cindy's latest tome will drop me right off to dreamland.

Now it's YOUR turn my esteemed Banditas and BBs! Tell me why YOU need to win a copy of The Wild Irish Sea. Don't be shy! Lay on the Blarney as thick as you can. And if you can do it with a wee bit o' brogue, so much the better! I'll award the commenter who tickles my fancy the most with an autographed copy of The Wild Irish Sea.

Let the PAR-TAY begin!

If Books Could Kill - Launch Party!!!!

By Kate

Welcome to the party!! I am so pleased and proud to celebrate the release of If Books Could Kill with my Banditas!!! There’s nowhere else I’d rather be today.

If Books Could Kill is the second book of my Bibliophile Mysteries series. Heroine Brooklyn Wainwright has come to Scotland for the Edinburgh Book Fair. When a friend asks her to authenticate a book that just may contain undiscovered poems of Robert Burns, Brooklyn’s heart races…almost as fast as it does after a kiss from hunky secret agent Derek Stone. When that friend shows up dead, Brooklyn must work with Derek to discover the murderer before Brooklyn becomes the next victim.

In honor of the setting of If Books Could Kill, I’ve rented the Great Hall of the Edinburgh Castle for the day. Please come right in!

See those streamers wayyyyyy up there, hanging from the ancient wooden beams? Those are for us. Our color scheme is blue and gold, the predominant colors on my book cover (doesn’t it look pretty?).

(If you want to really see the castle, check out this awesome 3D virtual tour: http://www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/index/tour.htm)

The dress code is tartan, of course. So put on your plaid party dresses and let’s get it on!

Okay, first things first. The bar is open! Step right up and request your favorite libation. Have you noticed that the bartenders look a lot like Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman? That’s because—it’s really them! Put your tongues back in your mouths, ladies! Danny and Hugh were both so excited that you had nominated them to play Derek Stone last week that they fell all over themselves to serve us at this party. And oh yes, they are indeed wearing kilts. We have a nice single malt Scotch and some lovely IPA selections, but I’m going to have to stick with pina coladas. Not very Scottish, but verrrra delicious!

Now I need some help with the music. As much as I love a good Scottish folk tune, the bagpipes just don’t scream “par-tay” to me, so we’ve got a DJ for the duration. He’s taking requests. I’m kicking off the party with Celebration by Kool & The Gang because that always gets me in the partying mood. (For singing along: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvX_5ym_ajI)

Let’s get this party started!!! Shout out those song requests! Place your drink orders with Danny and Hugh. Did you bring a date with you? Is he wearing a kilt? And what are you wearing? It’s fabulous!

Oh, and I’m having a gift exchange! I brought an Aston Martin, which is Derek’s favorite car when he’s not driving the Bentley. Isn’t it pretty? What special goodies did you bring to exchange? This is going to be fun! Oh, and I’m giving away a signed copy of If Books Could Kill to one random commenter today.

Let’s party!!!!!!

Cleaning up the Confetti!

Wow, what an incredible day in the lair! I've been sweeping up confetti and streamers all day. But I've managed to tear myself away to draw the winners.

And guess what - clearly I drank too much because instead of three winners, there seem to be FOUR WINNERS!!!! Yes, for over 200 comments, I threw in another copy of CAPTIVE OF SIN!

So the lucky wedding guests are:

Eva S

Drew

Mariska

Debbie

Congratulations to all of you! Please email me on anna@annacampbell.info with your snail mail details and I'll get your books off to you.

Seriously, I couldn't have asked for a better launch party. Thank you to everyone who commented! There's one seriously touched writer down in Oz!

A Captivating Launch!

by Anna Campbell

HUZZAH!!!!! HOORAY!!!!

YIPPEE-YI-O!!!!!

What? You didn't know?

Today is the day CAPTIVE OF SIN is released.

Hmm, that sentence looks rather odd. Now he's released, can he still be a captive?

Aaaaarrrggghhh! It's all too much to think about!

When we've got a...WEDDING to plan!

More about that to come. Hmm, I must be excited. I seem to be restricted to one-sentence paragraphs! Always a sign of rising agitation in a writer.

First, here's the blurb for CAPTIVE OF SIN:

He pledged his honor to keep her safe . . .

Returning home to Cornwall after unspeakable tragedy, Sir Gideon Trevithick comes upon a defiant beauty in danger, and vows to protect her whatever the cost. He’s dismayed to discover that she’s none other than Lady Charis Weston, England’s wealthiest heiress—and that the only way to save her from the violent stepbrothers determined to steal her fortune is to wed her himself! Now Gideon must hide the dark secrets of his life from the bride he desires more with every heartbeat.
She promised to show him how to love—and desire--again . . .

Charis has heard all about Gideon, the dangerously handsome hero with the mysterious past. She’s grateful for his help, but utterly unwilling to endure a marriage of convenience—especially to a man whose touch leaves her breathless. Desperate to drive him mad with passion, she would do anything to make Gideon lose control—and fall captive to irresistible, undeniable sin.

Here's a link to an excerpt:

http://www.annacampbell.info/captivesin.html

There's already been a couple of great reviews. PUBLISHERS WEEKLY said: "Luscious love scenes. Readers will cheer for these lovable and well-crafted characters." ROMANTIC TIMES gave CAPTIVE OF SIN a Top Pick and a 4.5 star rating. They also gave Gideon a K.I.S.S. (Knight in Shining Silver) Award. Their wonderful review included these lovely words: "Campbell holds readers captive with her highly intense, emotional, sizzling and dark romances... a romantic, deep-sigh tale."

So I thought, how best to celebrate this momentous occasion in Gideon and Charis's (not to mention Anna Campbell's) life.

As you'll gather, this is my first marriage of convenience story. I suspect it won't be my last. That's just such a fun theme to play with.

Gideon and Charis elope to Jersey in the Channel Isles where she's legally able to marry without the permission of her guardians even though she's under 21. Prior to the Marriage Act of 1822, the Channel Islands operated as a de facto Gretna Green for people in the south of England. You could marry there without the restrictions that applied on the mainland.
Actually this part of the research was really fun - although quite hard to do. In the end, I had to write to a library in Jersey and get them to help me with details like where the marriages took place and whether there was a residency requirement before the ceremony. The answer was that the marriages, like Charis's and Gideon's, usually took place in the inns and hotels that did a roaring business out of the runaway couples and you could make your vows the moment you set foot on the island. So eternal thanks to the Library of the Société Jersiaise in St. Helier.

Speaking of things that are fun, I had a great time finding pictures for this blog. If you google, weddings, you get the most amazing selection of drool-worthy images.

I've now decided I want to get married in Barbados.

Um, or Costa Rica.

Or Fiji.

Or why not go for a classic like a castle in the Scottish Highlands? That picture really did make my heart beat faster with excitement. Although I supsect the weather in Barbados, Costa Rica and Fiji might be a bit more reliable!

Anyway, back to Gideon and Charis. After all, this is their day!

Of course, this brief ceremony in an inn parlor isn't any girl's dream wedding. Charis is wearing shabby borrowed clothing and she knows her groom doesn't love her.

Hmm, could she be wrong, my friends?

Nonetheless, I feel Charis and Gideon deserve something a little more spectacular. So I've lined up the cabana boys. Sven has given up massaging and has promised to be an usher. The Banditas will make wonderful bridesmaids. We have tubs of margaritas out the back ready to go. I feel perhaps I should step in as mother of the bride!

All is set for a fairytale wedding.

Um, except where? How? What fabulous celebration shall we throw to celebrate the joining of Lady Charis Weston and the very gorgeous Sir Gideon Trevithick, national hero and baronet?

Well, Banditas and Buddies, that's up to you!

Tell me about the wedding you'd put together for Charis and Gideon. My favorite three answers win signed copies of CAPTIVE OF SIN! Good luck, my wonderful wedding planners! May the best cake win!