Dear Friends and Readers,
Woohoo! It’s almost September and time for the release of my super-sexy Avon Red novel, Swept Away! The official release date is September 5, but if bookselling tradition holds, it will start showing up in stores – at least some of them – any day now, so keep your eyes peeled for that hot pink title!
~Getting Swept Away By Good News
Since my last newsletter, I’m thrilled to say that Swept Away has already gotten some exciting news!
- Doubleday and Rhapsody bookclubs have picked up Swept Away and Doubleday will feature the book as October's Alternate Selection.
- Barnes & Noble will be featuring Swept Away on its New Release tables in September – so if you’re a B&N shopper, you shouldn’t have to look far to find the book.
- The Road to Romance has given Swept Away it’s Reviewer’s Choice Award.
- Publishers’ Weekly quoted me (!) in their July 24th cover article on erotic fiction. The article also featured the cover of Swept Away. You can read it all in PW's online version.
~Getting Swept Away By Good Reviews
I’d like to say a special thanks to the following reviewers for giving me early access to reviews for Swept Away! To see all of them you can visit Swept Away's review section but I just have to give you a brief sampling here of the wonderful things that people are saying:
- "This red hot read is beyond entertaining! Ms. Blake is an awesome talent and once again has created one of the hottest heroes in print today!" ~Kristi Ahlers, The Best Reviews
- "Swept Away is steamy, mouth-watering fun, character-driven and a true page-turner... this one-sitting read will leave you breathless." ~Tracey West, Road to Romance
- "...full of action, danger, suspense, passion, a great setting, and characters that leave you eager for more. Plenty of steam and a lot of heat... backed up by a plot that keeps you quickly turning pages." ~Wendy Keel, The Romance Readers Connection, 4 ½
- "...characters that leap from the page and into your heart. Scene after scene shows a desire and passion of two people who belong together... perfect blend of hot sex and good old-fashioned romance and will leave readers wanting more." ~Barbara Smith, A Romance Review, 5 Roses
~Swept Away Teasers
In case you’re still not convinced, below is Swept Away's book blurb and if you were thinking that you'd like to read Swept Away's first ten pages, you’re in luck – they’re on my website!
Five days before her wedding to a man she admires but doesn’t love, Katrina Spencer escapes to a private island. There, she can let the sun warm her body as she contemplates a future without the passion she craves. Then she lazily opens her eyes, only to see Brock Denton… muscular, half-naked, the one who got away – the one who makes her body tingle with arousal.
How Brock arrived is a mystery, but it’s clear he’s in danger. Kat faces danger, too, in the arms of a man who is determined to free her from her every inhibition with his hands, his mouth, and more!
Kat has five steamy days and five sultry nights to make up her mind – return home to a man she doesn’t love, or satisfy her wildest passions with Brock and let her herself be… swept away.
~Fun Stuff
First, look to the right. See the guy on the beach? Wonder why he’s there? Because as much as I adore the sexy cover of Swept Away, the guy on it just isn’t my guy, Brock. And when I happened across this guy, I thought: Hmm, he could be Brock. So readers, meet Brock, sexy and seductive hero of Swept Away.
Second, here’s a fun link to Swept Away heroine Kat Spencer's Desert Island Survival Kit. I know this list will whet your appetite to read about Brock and Kat’s steamy adventures in Swept Away! You can also check out my version of a desert island survival kit, since I'm giving it away in my latest online contest.
Lastly, I’m no Carrie Bradshaw – or if I am, it’s on a much lesser scale – but lately, it seems, my shoes have become a topic of conversation. Which is to say, people have been taking pictures of them. Okay, not my ratty gym shoes or the worn out old sandals I wear to the grocery store or post office, but my “event shoes,” you might call them. And the truth is – I love my shoes. And I’m a sharing sort of girl, so … it has been suggested to me that it might be fun to share my shoes with YOU, dear reader.
Thus, if you look to the left, you will see the shoes that started it all – at the June Reader and Writer Get Together in Cincinnati, friend and fellow author Dianne Castell was so enamored that she actually took pictures of my feet! I was going casual that day, and for a day spent mostly on my feet talking with authors and readers, it was an excellent choice. Are my dragonfly flipflops darling or what?
~Something Fun For the FanLit Lovers
HarperCollins editors and Avon Romance authors invite you to join romance fans online to collectively create an original e-book – one chapter at a time. Beginning last week (sorry I’m late on this!!) fans will vote on the storyline of their choice.
However, the event truly kicks off on September 7, 2006 with an open call for chapter submissions! A winner will be selected each week, based on voting by fans and authors. Grand prizes include an in-person session with an Avon editor and a $5,000 development deal with Fox TV! Wow! Want to take part? Check out the Avon FanLit website to sign up.
~What I Did This Summer
Always a writer at heart, I was the one kid in class who never minded those silly essays. Sadly, however, I never had much to say back then except things like, “Mowed the lawn every Friday morning.” Fortunately, this summer has held much more adventure. Here are a few highlights:
In June, I attended the Lori Foster Reader and Writer Get-Together in Westchester, Ohio. And I even got to pose for a picture with Jamie Denton’s blue jeans. (Yes, that Jamie Denton – the guy from Desperate Housewives who is also on my website reading Taking Care of Business.) And about the pants – since I know you’re asking – here’s the scoop. A local DJ bought them on eBay and now they travel around on the Tour de Pants. My always quick-on-the-draw author friend LuAnn McLane invited the pants to the party, and the rest is history. This picture even appeared on Cincinnati radio station Q102’s website for awhile – fun stuff! You can see more pictures in my Event Photo Album.
Also in late June, my husband and I took a delightful trip out west. Not exactly relaxing – in five days we hit Las Vegas, Sequoia National Park, Yosemite, and San Francisco. But we had a fabulous time and saw lots of new places.
In July, it was off to Atlanta for the Romance Writers of America’s annual conference, a crazy, high-energy event that totally exhausts me but is a lot of fun. I got to meet with my editors and agent, attend lots of fancy soirees, and my fabulous friend, Julie Anne Long took me as her Rita date AGAIN this year, bless her heart. If you like regency-set historicals and haven’t yet read Julie, you should!
And I just got back from another vacation with my husband – this one to the Banff and Lake Louise areas in the Canadian Rockies. Wow, what a beautiful area!
You all probably know I’m a total photo-holic by now, so if you’d like to see pictures from any or all of these events, just visit my online photo albums. And now… I’m officially ready to take a nap.
~But Enough About Me, Let's Talk About Me
Color me lucky that I’ve been getting all sorts of fun requests for interviews lately! Not all of these are posted just yet, but if you’re the diligent type, save this newsletter and check the links below in a week or two.
- WNBC’s Romance: B(u)y the Book ~ Swept Away will be the feature review one week in September, and an interview with me will appear, as well.
- A Romance Review ~ An interview with me should appear around the first of September.
- The Bookstore ~ A delightful small town bookstore a few hours from my home. If you’re ever in Radcliff, Kentucky, stop by and ask for Debbie.
- Altrotelescope ~ If you’re local to the Cincinnati area, look for me on the front page of this new free city newspaper. It will be distributed high and low, from Barnes & Noble to Chipotle restaurants and everyplace in between, in September.
~For a Good Cause
Until recently, The New Orleans Public Library was seeking book donations to rebuild their supplies after Hurricane Katrina. Now, though, they’re seeking only cash donations. To learn more and see how you can help, visit their website Nutrias.org.
~For Your Health
A friend recently sent me a 6-minute video about a lesser known form of breast cancer called Inflammatory Breast Cancer. The video can be viewed online at Komotv.com and if you’re reading this and you’re a woman and you’ve never heard of Inflammatory Breast Cancer, or IBC, I urge you to take the take the few minutes necessary to check it out and make yourself aware.
~I Think That's It!
Well, dear readers, that’s all my news for now. I thank you all in advance for checking out Swept Away, and I hope you’ll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. And as always, thanks for your terrific support – it’s much appreciated!
