We Have Winners & Another Great Contest!!

We have two winners today.  The winner of Ashley March’s latest historical, Romancing The Countess, is Kendra.  And the winner of Tina Gabrielle’s fabulous romance, Lady Of Scandal, is Maggie Jagger.  Congratulations, ladies!  I’ll be in touch soon.

Thanks to all the readers who stopped by to visit with Tina and Ashley.  My guests next week include Susan Lyons and Cynthia Eden.

And check out the great contest I’m running with several other romance authors–it’s a really awesome one.  All the details are below.

Recent visitors to my blog might not realize that I’m running a FABULOUS contest with some of my writing pals – all talented authors.  We’re giving away the entire signed backlists of some of your favorite romance writers, including Lisa Kleypas and Julia Quinn.  Amazing, right?  Just keep reading to get all the details on how you can be entered in this contest.

There comes a time in a romance reader’s life when something amazing happens. Something awesome. Something really, really cool that makes you emit a high-pitched shrieking sound which then causes everyone around you to gape and stare. That shriek often sounds something like SQUEEEEEEEEE.

Dear friends and fellow romance readers, you might have a SQUEE moment ahead in your future.

Five huge romance fans who just happen to be romance authors as well have decided that we want to give you the opportunity to receive complete, SIGNED backlists of one of your very favorite authors (and yes, that means EVERYTHING they’ve ever written).

The romance fans/authors who are participating are: Ashley March, Shana Galen, Lila DiPasqua, Heather Snow, and moi, Vanessa Kelly.

The complete, SIGNED backlists they’re giving away are books from the following authors (henceforth known as “The Amazing Authors”):

Lisa Kleypas

Julia Quinn

Elizabeth Hoyt

Cynthia Eden

Julie Garwood

Before we can give these awesome prizes away, though, we need you to show how fanatical of fans you are. Since we know that you’re already following The Amazing Authors on Facebook (you are, aren’t you??), all you need to do is follow the authors who want to give away these complete, signed backlists to you. We all have to reach a certain number of followers; once that happens, then we will run a Facebook giveaway on our individual pages where you can enter to win the complete, signed backlists from the Amazing Authors.

(Please note, you must follow and enter on each of the five Facebook pages to be eligible to win each backlist. The giveaway won’t happen until AFTER the goals are met for ALL of us, and the giveaways will be open to US and international residents! All books will be in English as print books; if any books in the Amazing Authors’ backlists are currently our of print, used books will be purchased for those titles so that the backlist will be complete.)

Ashley March (must reach 2500 total “Likes” in order to give away Lisa Kleypas backlist)

Shana Galen (must reach 2000 total “Likes” in order to give away Julia Quinn backlist)

Lila DiPasqua (must reach 3500 total “Likes” in order to give away Elizabeth Hoyt backlist)

Vanessa Kelly (must reach 2000 total “Likes” in order to give away Cynthia Eden backlist)

Heather Snow (must reach 2500 total “Likes” in order to give away Julie Garwood backlist)

Those are the rules! Tell your friends, tell your family, tell any fellow romance fan you know. Soon, 5 lucky winners will win a complete, signed backlist from a favorite author that will make you SQUEEEEE!

Now get out there and start liking those pages!

Guest Author: Tina Gabrielle & Giveaway!

I’m so pleased to be featuring one of my fellow Kensington authors on the blog today.  She’s Tina Gabrielle, and she writes wonderful Regency historical romances with fascinating settings and resourceful heroines.  In fact, Tina’s ambitious and intelligent heroines are a trademark of her fiction.  That’s no surprise, given that Tina herself was formerly a N.J. Deputy Attorney General AND a mechanical engineer!  With that type of pedigree, how could she not write strong heroines?

Tina’s first book was Lady of Scandal, which features Victoria, a smart and savvy heroine who just happens to be an anonymous investor on the London Stock Exchange.

Tina received great reviews for her debut book, including this one from RT Book Reviews:

“Debuting with a tantalizing tale, Gabrielle employs themes of revenge, secrets and misunderstandings, blending them with sizzle and characters that engage readers’ emotions. Gabrielle has the opportunity to garner a strong fan base eager for her next novel.”

Lady of Scandal was also nominated by RT Book Reviews  for best first historical of 2009, and it made the Barnes & Noble long list as “one of the top 50 books, CDs and DVDs to know about now.”

Tina’s latest book has just come out, the first in her Regency Barrister’s Series.  This new series features four sexy lawyers and the women who cause havoc in their chambers and in their hearts.  It’s a fabulous idea for a series, and I’m really looking foward to reading them.

The title of the first book is In The Barrister’s Chambers, and I’m just loving the gorgeous cover.

Here’s the blurb for In The Barrister’s Chambers:

COURTING DANGER

Lady Evelyn Darlington’s first love was the law. But since a woman scholar meets nothing but ridicule from men, she has given up and chosen a future husband. Randolph seems adequate for the task: to provide intelligent conversation and not annoy her too much. Of course, before they can be engaged, she’ll have to do something about the murder charge hanging over his head. If only London’s top barrister wasn’t Jack Harding, object of all her unattainable girlhood fantasies…

AND SEDUCING SCANDAL

Jack Harding remembers Evelyn well—but the idea that the gorgeous woman standing before him is little Evie, the professor’s daughter, is incredible. He knows better than to enter a business relationship when he wants to pursue pleasure. Yet however desirable she is now, Evie is still Evie—stubborn, smart, and never willing to take no for an answer. Even though proving her betrothed’s innocence might just cost her her own…

Sounds great, doesn’t it?  Reviewers obviously agree with me, as you can see from this review from Publishers Weekly:

“Former attorney Gabrielle (Lady of Scandal) launches a Regency series with legal backbone…the tale is bolstered by tantalizing love scenes, enthusiastically detailed portrayals of England’s Regency-era legal system, and witty comradely repartee.”

I just know this series is going to be one that readers love, starting with In The Barrister’s Chambers.

And for my readers today, Tina has graciously donated a copy of her first book, the award-winning Lady of Scandal.  Just tell me what type of heroine you like to read in a historical romance.  Do you like the adventerous type who courts danger with a smile, the more traditional young virgin, or do you root for the intellectual bluestocking?  One person who comments will win a copy of Tina’s fabulous book!

We Have Winners!

And I’m one of them!  I spent this past weekend in Atlanta, at the Moonlight & Magnolias conference sponsored by the fabulous Georgia Romance Writers (GRW).  GRW also sponsors the prestigious Maggie Awards, and I’m thrilled to announced that my second book, Sex And The Single Earl, won the Maggie Award for Best Historical Romance.  It was particularly exciting to win because I love this book so much.  If you haven’t read it, it’s no longer available in print but it is available in e-book format.  You can find it on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble, or at your favorite e-book retailer.

And the other winner today is Sheila, who won a copy of Sophie Jordan’s latest historical romance, Wicked In Your Arms.  Congratulations!  I’ll be in touch soon.

Thanks to everyone for stopping by the blog.  My guests this week are the fabulous historical romance writers, Tina Gabrielle and Ashley March!