When writers decide to tackle the enormous task of penning a novel, it's a long road of learning, writing and then rewriting and getting beaten down and rising to start again. Not for the faint of heart. What keeps us sane in this arduous process is friends, people who not only keep you company but read your books and offer solid advice, share vital information and support you in all that you do.
I'm lucky in having two awesome friends, Lauren Royal and Glynnis Campbell, who have done all of the above. We three were published at the same time — I had just published my Cajun Series with Kensington — and met on the Internet in a group called the Tobeez, which stood for To-Be-Published. It was a list serve of several authors sharing information about what to do when you get published.
When I moved to Los Angeles, Lauren and Glynnis and I hooked up and shared lunches, writing chapter meetings and book signings. Some people called us the Three Muskateers. In 2001, we attended the Romance Writers of America conference together in New Orleans, when Glynnis was a finalist for the prestigious Rita Award (that's us at right). Since New Orleans is my home town, I got to proudly show them around.
When I recently felt at the end of a rope and wondering which way to turn regarding my novels, they took me to lunch and taught me all about the world of e-publishing.
So, if you're looking for good reads, look no further. They are both best-selling and extremely talented historical romance authors.
I recommend Royal's "Lost in Temptation," a Top 10 bestseller and book one in the Chase Family Series. Although it's part of a series, it also stands alone. And it's a FREE download.
Here's the book description:
England, 1815: The eldest of three sisters, Lady Alexandra Chase has always done what was expected of her. But when the man she's loved since her girlhood returns from a long spell abroad, she quite suddenly finds herself hoping the fine lord her brother has picked for her won't propose. She decides that if he does, she'll quite improperly turn him down—that is, until the man of her hopes and dreams informs her he has no intention of marrying her.
The last time Tristan Nesbitt saw Alexandra, he was a common man with no hope of ever wedding the daughter of a marquess. Seven years later, he's now Lord Hawkridge, which should make him eminently suitable for the woman who long ago captured his heart. But a dreadful scandal has tarnished his name in England—a scandal so horrid that marrying Alexandra would ruin not only her flawless reputation but her whole family. For Alexandra's own good, he must fight his relentless desires and stay far away...
Or how about Campbell's "Medieval Outlaws," boxed set.
Here's the bundle description:
Rogues, rapscallions, knaves, scoundrels, hellions, scallywags, blackguards, outcasts, and firebrands. They may be villains, but they’re irresistible, and sometimes the right woman (or man) can steal their hearts and help them mend their wicked ways. Book 1: DANGER'S KISS A beautiful thief can squirm out of trouble with a wink and a smile, until she meets the most feared lawman in the shire, who can't decide whether to kiss her or kill her. Book 2: PASSION'S EXILE A runaway bride fleeing to a convent is ambushed by a once-noble sword-for-hire who awakens her passions and destroys her best-laid plans. Book 3: DESIRE'S RANSOM A spirited Irish heiress joins a band of woodland outlaws and waylays the powerful Norman knight who's come to claim her as his bride, unaware he intends to steal her heart and take her as his prize.
So, what are you waiting for? Two great discounted books for summer reading.