Winner and Winners

Last week after my Internet wilderness experience I asked you all to fill me in on what's been going on. I'm happy to say I am now connected to Time-Warner Roadrunner, and I'm beep-beeping merrily--with a brand new keyboard for my computer too. The A and the S were completely worn off. I guess when you write six books and two novellas something's got to give, and it really has been my a-s-s. ;) Anyway, the Tempting Eden winner is Barabara E. E-mail me at margaret@margaretrowe.net with your address, and I'll get the book out to you.


I've read some wonderful books lately too, after going through a bit of a drought. While I am registered with Goodreads, frankly commenting on anything I'm reading seems too much like writing a book report. I'm too damn lazy (see expanding derriere, above). Now that I get reader reviews myself, I am amazed at the amount of thought and analysis that sometimes goes into the comments. People seem to know my characters better than I do, LOL. My favorite, though, has to be this negative Amazon review for Mistress by Mistake: "This book was hard to finish. Charlotte Fallon is not the sharpest tool in the shed and like the other female characters in the book she is mentally unbalanced. I mean seriously what sane woman snoozes through the best sex in her life, steals Mr. Studs valuable artwork, and smashes an entire bedroom of cupid statues against against the garden wall? If I were Bayard I would have taken her on safari to Africa and had her shoot with an elephant tranquilizer dart. " I think the commenter meant shot with an elephant tranquilizer dart, and she's missing a possessive apostrophe, but I had to laugh--it seems Charlotte made quite an impression.

I don't want anyone shooting or shot, especially Beatrix Hathaway from Lisa Kleypas's Love in the Afternoon. There is so much to love about it at any time of the day. Even if you've somehow skipped the Hathaway series, read this book, which is absolutely wonderful. I also recommend Patricia Rice's The Wicked Wyckerly, which hit all the right notes for me with exceptional wit and warmth. I was lucky to get an ARC of Janet Mullany's Jane and the Damned, which was a complete surprise. Jane Austen as a vampire fighting the French? Generally I'm wary of Austen adaptations, but I'll read anything Ms. Mullany writes, and this was very enjoyable. And I adored Tessa Dare's Twice Tempted by a Rogue. Church scene. That's all I've got to say. Snort. I'm dying to get my hands on Loretta Chase's Last Night's Scandal...but don't really want to be shot with an elephant gun to do so.

What are you loving now and longing to read next? Do you pay attention to Goodreads and Amazon reviews? Put down the tranquilizer darts, please.

P.S. Tiff and I are keeping pretty cool company. Six authors (seven if you count me twice *g*) will be giving a taste of our books in this first chapters excerpt book to be given out at Nationals. Hope to see you there!