I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but WHEEEE!!! First place in the Orange Rose Contest for Unpublished Authors. I guess it’s time to go to Disneyland! enter the Golden Heart….or maybe send out a query letter or two. Entering contests is less intimidating. Maybe I could pull out some of my teeth instead.

In other news, I finished Meljean Brook’s THE IRON DUKE and was quite pleased. Go forth and read it!

My baby is six months and still not sleeping through the night. I read a book once that advocated writing before you’ve really woken up in the morning. The author said that you should write before you check email or read the newspaper or drink your coffee, that your creative mind is the most active when you are still half asleep. Perhaps this means I am in a constantly creative state these days, but all I feel is tired. I have stories buzzing around my head, but no energy to put fingers to keyboard.

I just got the call that Hearts of Darkness won FIRST PLACE in the 2010 Maggies!! The unpublished, paranormal division was judged by editor Esi Sogah from Avon. The winners aren’t up on the website yet, but one of my GSRWA chapter mates–Margaret Mallory–announced via our chapter loop that she won first place in the published, historical category for Knight of Pleasure. Congrats Margaret!

Come all ye romance readers near our fair Emerald City! This weekend is the Emerald City Writers’ Conference for geographically challenged authors, and as usual we have a lovely line up of romance authors for the book fair. The fair is open to the public, and I’ll (hopefully) be there with my baby. As the Hospitality Chair for this year’s conference, I welcome you to our fair in advance. A portion of the proceeds will benefit D.A.W.N. (Domestic Abuse Women’s Network).

Saturday, October 2, 4-6 pm at the Bellevue Hilton

(Seattle, not Bellevue, is the Emerald City.)

The American Library Association’s Booklist has published a list of the “New Stars of Historical Romance,” and its got quite a few gems. I’ve read and loved The Spymaster’s Lady by Joanna Bourne, Proof by Seduction by Courtney Milan, and The Duke of Shadows by Meredith Duran. Joanna Bourne (who is fabulous) called out Katharine Ashe on facebook, so I’m assuming she is equally fabulous. I’ve added her book to my TBR list.

A Big CONGRATULATIONS to all the Greater Seattle RWA members who made the list!

Passionate by Anthea Lawson

Knight of Desire by Margaret Mallory

In for a Penny by Rose Lerner

Which books from the list should I try next? Which have you read?

I have little time or brainpower to devote to anything less than stellar books these days, so if you’ve read something really fabulous please let me know! My TBR pile includes Meljean Brook’s THE IRON DUKE, Loretta Chase’s LAST NIGHT’S SCANDAL, and Virginia Kantra’s IMMORTAL SEA. In nonfiction I’m currently reading the ART OF HAPPINESS by the Dalai Lama. In general, I’m in a real historical romance mood. It’s my favorite subgenre to read, even though I write paranormal.

PROOF BY SEDUCTION by Courtney Milan

I’ve run across Ms. Milan online and had heard great things about her book, but only just picked it up. I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up late to finish it, and when one is as sleep deprived as I am, those hours are worth more than gold. This is one of the best Regency Romances I’ve read (and I love Regency Romance!). The characters are fully developed and layered. I couldn’t help but root for them from the very first page. They were smart, had realistic interchanges and dialogue, and beautiful personal growth and transformation. Really, the storytelling was delightful. I can’t wait for Ned’s book, coming at the end of this month.

Jenny Keeble masquerades as Madam Esmeralda, swindling the Ton out of their money in exchange for telling their fortunes and dispensing a little spiritual advice. Everything is going fine, until she meets Gareth Carhart, Marquess of Blakely. Blakely is the cousin of her best client, and he is determined to prove her a fraud. His cold, scientific approach is the antithesis of her hopeful mien. She refuses to go down without a fight. Sparks fly as these two lonely souls go head to head.

WHITE CAT by Holly Black

We listened to the audiobook on vacation while driving around the Olympic Peninsula, and liked it so much we drove further than we had to just to keep listening to it. I’ve been starting and stopping a number of Young Adult audiobooks recently. This was the first that grabbed me and didn’t let go. Even Mr. Wonderful, who doesn’t usually read fiction, was transfixed. I loved the details about the history of the curse workers and the way society treats gloves. The glove porn was a nice touch. The only complaint we had was that the ending didn’t tie everything up nicely. I imagine this is to set up future books in the series, but it was annoying. Otherwise, this was a compelling piece of storytelling.

Cassel in an admitted liar and cheat from a family of liars and cheats. He’s the only non-magic user in a family of curse workers. When he almost dies sleepwalking, he returns home to find the happy bonds of family are starting to unravel. The stories they tell each other don’t quite add up, and with the help of a mysterious white cat, Cassel begins to uncover a web of deceit.

THE DEVIL WEARS PLAID by Teresa Medeiros

Ms. Medieros’s books are like cotton candy–light, fluffy, and delicious. I thoroughly enjoyed following the brawny highland outlaw as he kidnapped his fair English damsel and set off into the wilderness of Ben Nevis. I was under the impression that Ben Nevis–the highest point in Scotland–is an easy walk up, so I don’t know why they were traveling by horseback for days, but who cares? It was a quick, engaging romp. The Regency-era characters had unusually modern dialogue and sensibilities, but at least they weren’t naive.

Emmaline Marlowe is abducted from her wedding by a highland bandit set upon revenge. With his band of merry men, they travel up the mountain, while they wait for the ransom from her elderly and conniving groom. Jamie Fraiser Sinclair might steal her virtue, but she steals his heart.

BONDS OF JUSTICE by Nalini Singh

The Lusty Wenches Book Club read Nalini Singh’s BONDS OF JUSTICE for August. We all love the Psy-Changeling series, but prefer the stories featuring Changelings. BOJ featured a human hero and a Psy heroine. I also thought there was too much internal dialogue of the sensual variety. It would have been more powerful to use it sparingly to build up sexual tension, rather than have it constant all the way through. Two of our Kindle readers complained about typos in the Kindle editions. Anyway, we enjoyed it, some more than others. One question–what is that strange octopus tentacle tattoo around the sword tattoo on the hero’s back on the cover?

September’s Book Club Book is SHADE by Jeri Smith-Ready.

I am happy to announce that Hearts of Darkness is a finalist in the Georgia RWA’s Maggie Contest and the New Jersey RWA’s Put Your Heart in a Book Contest. Both are pretty big chapter contests. The PYHIAB is judged by three published authors in the first round (3 published people liked my entry!!!) and judged by an editor, agent, and big name author in the final round. This year the paranormal final judges are Cori Deyoe, Three Seas Literary Agency, Holly Blanck, St. Martin’s Press, and author Deborah Cooke. The final judge in the Maggie paranormal/fantasy category is editor Esi Sogah from Avon.

This is the end of the contest train for me, unless I enter the Golden Heart (which is sadly not electronic). It’s nice to go out on a high note.

The 2010 Orange Rose Contest finalists have been announced, and I am happy to report that HEARTS OF DARKNESS is among them. The entries were judged by three published judges, and the top ten scoring entries, regardless of category, were selected as finalists. Entries now go to two as-yet-unnamed editors for the final round of judging. This contest judged the first 50 pages, as opposed to the usual 25. I’m glad that my difficult third chapter, which I’ve rewritten five billion times, is up to snuff. It’s nice to have good writing news in the midst of my writing dry spell. Motherhood has not been kind to my free time, and my 3.5 month old dislikes naps. Ah, for time to write again! I miss it.

For the next three days I’m blogging at the Desert Island Keepers blog. Today is eBooks. Tomorrow is audiobooks. Saturday? Who knows. But stop by and say hi.

http://dikladiesrule.blogspot.com/

Life with a new baby means no time to write. Heck, I’m lucky if I can eat and take a shower. Blogging, sadly, falls at the very bottom of my list of things to do.

Books I’ve managed to read or am currently reading:

MAGIC BLEEDS by Ilona Andrews

I picked up my autographed copy at Powell’s and read it in a record two days. LOVE THIS SERIES. Another great addition. Kate! Curran! Magic! Pretty writing. Deep characters. Sarcastic and funny dialogue. What’s not to love? If you haven’t read the Kate Daniels series yet, get on it.

THE FORBIDDEN ROSE by Joanna Bourne

I’m only halfway through, but I’m loving it.

REBELS AND LOVERS by Linnea Sinclair

I’m only halfway through, but then Andrews and Bourne’s books came out. I think scifi romance might be too complicated for my current sleep-deprived state of mind.

SOULLESS by Gail Carriger

Fun and flippy Victorian paranormal romance with steampunk elements. My book club read this one and we all enjoyed it. Loved the idea of a heroine born without a soul, and vampires and werewolves have an excess of soul. Very unique.

TSUNAMI BLUE by Gail Williams

This debut novel by SHOMI contest winner and Seattle RWA author Gail Williams hooked me from the beginning. I love the post apocalyptic setting and the hero is dreamy. Loved the dog, wish he appeared more. That said, if Tsunamis rocked the world, the San Juan islands would be the first to go. They are small and low in elevation. If the United States turned into a bunch of islands, only the mountains would be left above sea level. We would be living on top of the Cascades. Also, if you can see the tops of the Pike Place market buildings, the Space Needle would not be under water. It is on a hill. Details, details…which the average reader probably won’t care about. The bad guys could have used another layer or two. We know the hero and heroine are Good People because they have a dog–the kids didn’t add much to the story. I’m looking forward to reading more from Ms. Williams.

What have you been reading? What is so good you can’t put it down?

There are two auctions for readers and writers going on now, both raising money for good causes.

Brenda Novak Auction for Diabetes Research

Advanced readers copies (ARCs), autographed books, critiques, lunches with editors and agents, gift baskets, one of a kind trips around the world…there is something for everyone in Brenda Novak’s annual auction. In past auctions I’ve purchased critiques of my first (sadly abandoned under the bed) novel from authors Candice Hern and Lori Handeland, and lunch in San Francisco at the RWA National Conference with author Jenna Peterson. This year I bid on a critique or two, but was outbid. The main item I’m excited about is the Brenda Novak mentorship contest. (Did someone say contest? sign me up!) With a $50 entry fee, the first fifty pages of one’s completed novel will be judged by Barbara Freethy, Cindy Gerard, Dianna Love, Susan Mallery, Karen Rose, Karin Tabke, Debra Webb, and C.L. Wilson. The winner gets a six-month mentorship by Brenda and a read by her agent and editor. As of today 65 people have entered. Better odds than the Golden Heart thus far, but the month is still young.

Do the Write Thing for Nashville Auction

The 2010 RWA National Conference was supposed to be in Nashville this year at the Gaylord Hotel, but flooding has moved it to Orlando. To raise money for flood relief, a bunch of writers and publishing people have banded together to auction off more books, critiques and the like. Every three days a new set of items goes up for bid.

Check these great opportunities out. Great prizes for a great cause. Bid high and bid often!