Not at Nationals in Atlanta

I have mixed feelings about not being at Nationals. On the one hand, I miss the excitement, the meeting of friends I only see at conferences, the Dorchester dinner which is always a hoot (I hear other authors bemoaning publisher dinners, but ours are so dang much fun), seeing my editor(s), and just the whole crush of people wound up about everything, good and bad.

On the other hand, I'm still having too much back pain to navigate airports or conferences. I'd need one of those electic scooters (can you rent those?) My back is soooo much better--when I started the pain was an 11 on a scale of 1-10, and now it's about s 2. But I have a ways to go.

Also won't miss--the whole crush of people wound up about everything. I'm a shy, introverted writer and occassionally at conferences I get wide-eyed and have to retreat to my room for a few minutes to calm down. And won't be missing the whole airport thing. I like flying, but I hate airports.

I was hoping to find a dedicated blogger recording the entire conference so I could keep up with the juicy gossip--er, keep up with what's going on in the industry as a professional should. I haven't found any yet, so give me the heads' up if there's a good one out there. Author Carolyn Jewel has been posting photos--thanks Carolyn.

Rita and Golden Heart winners are announced tonight! I bet no one's nervous or anything. :-) Good luck to all the finalists!

great suspense

I actually took a vacation and while on it, read Colleen Thompson's Deadliest Denial. Terrific suspense novel! I like that Colleen takes the "when bad things happen to normal people" approach. The characters are so real you can touch them, and you probably even know them. She sets her books in Texas--this time in Texas hill country around San Antonio, an area I'm familiar with. (Fatal Error, a Rita nominee, was set in West Texas, near El Paso.) I also like that she lets her hero and heroine believe in each other against the odds, something I wish more novelists would.

Vacation? San Diego. I needed those cool ocean breezes because it's mega-hot here. 118? Forget it. San Diego ran between 73 and 80 the whole time. My, that was nice. Even better was sitting in a coffee house on a hill above the water writing and listening to the waves.

Back to the heat, but almost done with the first draft of Immortals book 1 (The Calling). Some good stuff in it!

web update

Just updated my website to add two upcoming books, the Just One Sip anthology and The Mad, Bad Duke, coming in October and December respectively.

Today I saw the art for Dragon Heat, my Berkley book for next June, although it wasn't the finished cover. It's beautiful and as soon as I get the real thing I'll post it. I drooled.

Coincidentally I talked to my Dorchester editor today too about the covers for the Immortal series. Haven't seen the art yet, but it sounded very cool and I'm sure will look fantastic. Dorchester does kick-ass covers (look at my Web site and see-- www.jennifersromances.com).

Just got back from San Diego where I relaxed with cool sea breezes and did more reading. Didn't get to do a lot in the way of swimming, snorkling and the like (darn it), but my back's still bothering me. Physical therapy three times a week now. Hopefully this will clear up soon!

another good series read

Just finished the last book of Bronwyn Jameson's "Princes of the Outback" series by Sil. Desire. (Books in order are The Rugged Loner, The Rich Stranger, and The Ruthless Groom).

I think I liked this series mostly because the heroes were true romantic heroes (strong physically, strong-willed, smart, gorgeous, and very, very sexy) without being so over-the-top alpha they were silly or so tortured they grew whiney. She got the balance of what a good hero is exactly right, in my opinion. Plus the chemistry between h/h was terrific, the love scenes hot without overdoing it. The right touch on everything.

Throw in the (for me) exotic setting of the Australian outback, and it was a winner. It is no surprise that all three of these books, published in 2005, made the Rita finals for best short contemporary.

Good stuff!

www.jennifersromances.com

New Release on the Ashley Gardner side

Today is the release of Book 6 of the Captain Lacey Regency mysteries that I write as Ashley Gardner, A Covent Garden Mystery. In this one you learn more about Gabriel's background, his wife and daughter, and his relationship with the scandalous Lady Breckenridge (I just love her). It's showing up in bookstores (Waldens, Borders, B&N, and mystery bookstores) around the country. I'll be signing it at Poisoned Pen on August 1 if you happen to be in Scottsdale.

Excerpts and more information on the series are available at http://www.gardnermysteries.com

pirates...

Laurie Gold at All About Romance has posted an article on pirates, featuring pirate romance authors, including me, Galen Foley and others. It's the July 3 "At the Back Fence," read it here: http://www.likesbooks.com/230.html

Getting ready for the 4th celebration--My husband and I are on our own this year, because my family is traveling and friends are wandering about the country. I guess we'll just have to make our own fireworks...ahem.

www.jennifersromances.com