News

May 2008

Ah, spring! It’s here at last. The azaleas in our backyard are blooming, and we’ve enjoyed some wonderfully warm and sunny days, although right now it’s cold and rainy!

We’ve also been preparing for a big move to New York City. We’ll be relocating in August, and it will involve quite a lifestyle change from the comfortable suburbs of Connecticut.

Another big change is that I’m expecting our fourth child in October. So lots of exciting things to look forward to!

My sixth book, The Sheikh’s Forbidden Virgin, has just been accepted and I’m about to start on my seventh book, another sheikh story. I’ll be documenting the ups and downs of the creative process on my blog, so stop by often if you like to witness the messy behind-the-scenes process of creating a book.

I’m also running a contest with Modern Heat author Natalie Anderson to give away copies of my third book, Ruthless Boss, Hired Wife, as well as her latest book, Mistress By Arrangement. There will be more details on my contest page and blog.

My May short story, Blooming, is up—and celebrates new starts in love and in nature. Also, check out my book list page for details on my fifth book, The Greek Tycoon’s Reluctant Bride. There is behind-the-scenes information, as well as recipes and photos for you to enjoy.

Happy reading,

APRIL 2008

There are hints of spring around us now—buds on the trees, new shoots of grass, but alas it is still freezing weather.  At least the sun is shining!

This month is the North American release of my second book, The Greek Tycoon’s Convenient Bride. Romance Readers’ Connection says this about it: ‘Such a great book! Lukas is a perfect alpha male. I loved his charisma, his take-care attitude, and his tenderness. Rhiannon was also great with her insecurity and timid courage. The book read very well, and the attraction between the characters was palpable. A perfect read for the beach.’

Meanwhile you can read my April short story here, a story about marriage and temptation—and still a romance! I also have a short story in The People’s Friend coming out this month.

The last month has been a bit crazy with personal travel and plans to move, and that probably won’t let up anytime soon. But I’m still managing to find a little time to write, which is good as it keeps me sane.

I’m looking forward to warm spring days and attempting to make our garden look halfway or even a third decent, as I’m not the best gardener! But I love being outside—whether it’s gardening, teaching my six year old how to bike without training wheels, or just going for a walk. What are you looking forward to about spring—if it’s almost spring where you are?!

MARCH 2008

Winter is still holding us in its thrall, although today it is raining instead of snowing, which is surprisingly cheering! I’ve been hard at work on my sixth book, The Sheikh’s Forbidden Virgin, which is the fourth book in Harlequin Presents’ new continuity series, The Royal House of Karedes. It’s a great story and I’ve been so privileged to be the one to tell it!

March is the month of the UK release of my second book, The Greek Tycoon’s Convenient Bride, now available on Amazon and through Eharlequin.com. You can visit my booklist page for details, behind the scenes, and an excerpt.

Sanjay was the winner of my March contest, but please keep checking back as I will be hosting another contest for my third book, Ruthless Boss, Hired Wife, due out in the UK in June.

Meanwhile you can check out my links and writing stuff page for the March short story which is a historical romance set in Depression-era rural Ontario, Canada. My parents were born in Ontario and we’ve had a summer cottage in the country [read backwoods!] since I was a child, so it was fun writing about it! It takes place during syruping season, which was also fun to write as my parents make maple syrup every year and I’ve helped them a time or two.

If you live in the UK, I have a short story Triangles in the Women’s Weekly Fiction Special this spring. It’s a bit different than what I usually write—not a romance! But it was a nice change of pace for me and I hope it will be for you.

Happy reading!

FEBRUARY 2008

Greetings from freezing Connecticut! The temperature has dropped alarmingly in the last few days and we’re all huddled inside, going through hot chocolate mix and mini-marshmallows at an amazing rate.

The last month has been a bit of a whirlwind. Not only was it the release month for my first book, THE ITALIAN’S CHOSEN WIFE, but I’ve just completed revisions on my fifth book, THE REBELLIOUS BRIDE, to be released in the UK in January 2009. This book was very emotional to write as it deals with some rather sensitive topics. One of the things I love about writing Presents is the freedom to address topics and issues many other publishers would consider taboo. I’m about to start my sixth book, which will be part of Harlequin Presents’s new continuity series, The Royal House of Karedes. My book takes places in a fictional kingdom in Northern Africa, and has a wounded sheikh as its hero—it should be an exciting  challenge!

We had a tremendous response for our last contest, and Mona Hassan was the lucky winner. Now I’m running a new contest with fellow Presents author Abby Green to win copies of our books, THE GREEK TYCOON’S CONVENIENT BRIDE and BOUGHT FOR THE FRENCHMAN’S PLEASURE, as well as some delicious, authentic baklava, shipped directly to you from a gourmet supplier.

I also have a new short story Hearts and Roses up for this month, just in time for Valentine’s Day! It’s about what can happen, if, like the heroine, you happen to hate Valentine’s Day…

As always, happy reading!

JANUARY 2008

Welcome to 2008! The tree is gone, the ornaments put away, and now four more months of winter here in Connecticut stretch endlessly ahead. But I don’t actually mind... I’m still in the mood for snow days, hot chocolate, and roaring fires. Come mid-February I might feel a little differently...

Still, there are lots of exciting things in the works for January. First of all, many thanks to those who entered my contest co-sponsored with the fabulous authors mentioned in December’s newsletter. We’ll be drawing our prizewinner on January 15, so stay tuned.

I’m blogging all over the web in January; January 7-14 you can find me at Jane Porter’s site, and also on the 14th on Lucy Monroe’s blog. I’ll also be discussing the appeal of international men at The Pink Heart Society on January 17th. 

And to celebrate the release of my first book, The Italian’s Chosen Wife, in the US, as well as the hardcover release of my second book, The Greek Tycoon’s Convenient Bride, I’ll be arranging another contest with both books as prizes, as well as some authentic, gourmet Greek baklava from Baklava.com—baklava features in a rather interesting way in The Greek Tycoon’s Convenient Bride! To enter, check out my contest page or my blog in mid-January; details will be forthcoming!

And finally, as always, there is a short story for your reading pleasure, and this one happens to be one of my favorites. It’s called The Locket, and it’s all about what happens when a woman on the brink of divorce opens an envelope and finds inside a tarnished locket that turns her world upside down… and right side up again. It was published in That’s Life Fast Fiction in Australia a few years ago, and I hope you enjoy it.

Happy reading,

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