How many is too many contests?

Okay, I think I might be a contest slut. I had quite a few books published in 2008 and I've entered quite a number of contests this year as a result. Like double digits. Sigh.
Or maybe I'm just hooked on contests. Or maybe it's a diabolical plan to get my books in the hands of people who might otherwise not have read me. Yeah, I like that answer best. :)

List of my books published in 2008 that may or may not be coming to a contest near you. :)

The Mercenary's Wife
Sins of Their Fathers - with Emma Wildes
Rapture Volume One - with Emma Wildes, Morgan Ashbury, and Gracie C McKeever
Menagerie - a contest favorite. Menagerie has been a finalist twice already. Yea!
Mr. Right
The Perfect Tool
The Mistletoe Mistake
The Prosecutor's Paramour - e-release also in Rapture Volume One
Sex or Suffer

Check them all out at my Siren-BookStrand page HERE
Happy Reading!
L

Check out my new cover for Kissed By Fate!

Once paired with Emma Wildes' Can't Say No, Kissed By Fate will now be available on its own with the accompanying awesome new cover.

Blurbs:

KISSED BY FATE [The Tiburon Duet 3]
by Lara Santiago

[Erotic Paranormal Romance] Fate in the form of a single kiss changes Alex and Lizzie's future to an unexpected happily ever after, until unanticipated events threaten to separate them. Will being kissed by fate keep them apart forever?

~~~~~~~~

A sequel to Just a Kiss and Just One Embrace [The Tiburon Duet]

Alex of Tiburon breaks off life-partner negotiations with a woman he doesn’t love after discovering her with another. Relieved to be free, he journeys to Earth to explore the distant planet where his mother was raised and experience a world he’s only read about never expecting to find true love.

Lizzie, disappointed by the lackluster kisses she’s received from every guy she’s ever dated, gets the shock of her life when the kiss, delivered by the gorgeous mystery man at a party not only tastes like chocolate, but is also satisfying at an orgasmic level.

Fate in the form of a single kiss changes Alex and Lizzie’s future to an unexpected happily ever after, until unanticipated events threaten to separate them.

Will being kissed by fate keep them apart forever?

Genre: Futuristic Romance

The Best Read So Far this year...

...and a girlie squeal of pure joy from me. :)

Check out this blog entry from Lorie O'Clare




Somewhere out there is a wonderful reader who thinks that The Sins of Their Fathers by Emma Wildes and Lara Santiago is the best book they've read so far this year. Woo Hoo!

Thanks to the reader for adding us to a very awesome list of authors and to Lorie O'Clare for posting it. :)
L

RT was a blast...but I came home with a bug

If his nose was a little bit brighter in color he'd look like me. :)




Regardless of the tissues littering my workspace today, I had a great time at RT.
The hotel was under construction, and the service was generally slow, but the staff did the best that they could given their constraints.

I got to hang out with my Siren publisher Amanda Hilton, (She's really cool-- :) ) and my other publisher, April Tremayne from Rapture. (She's also really cool--:) )

I also got to chat with Morgan Ashbury. We hung out last year in Houston. She's still a pistol. :) Those who read her Wednesday's Words will not be surprised by this assessment. :)
She tells it like it is and I must admit I envy her. I'm much too shy about too many things. :)

I met Raina James, author of a recent Siren bookstore # 1 bestseller, Serena's Song. Like Morgan, she's from Canada, ay. :)
She's also lovely, funny, charming and I just adore her.

I finally got to meet the fabulous Emma Wildes in person after sharing quite a few phone conversations with her this past year. And boy howdy can she write!
I think she wrote over 10,000 words while we were in Pittsburgh.
Slacker that I am, I only did about 6,200.

We shared a room at the Pittsburgh Hilton, which was perfect. She's a morning person, I'm a night person. In the afternoons we chatted...a lot. No surprise there I suppose. :)
Plus I got to meet her wonderful daughters.

Next year the RT convention will be in Orlando. I can't wait. :)

For now, I'm off to drink more liquids and kick this cold.
L

Is the RT conference only one week away?

Aaak!! I must pack. :)
Seriously, I need to start getting ready.





I'm really looking forward to this year's RT conference.

I'll get to meet Siren authors Emma Wildes, Samantha Lucas, Stella and Audra Price and Raina James in person. Yay!!
I'll get to see Morgan Ashbury and Amanda Hilton again.

I'll sign my new books on Wednesday night at the expo. I have several new print books available this year. The Forgetful Spy, Rapture Volume One will be available to mention a couple, plus I'll also have favorites The Blonde Bomb Tech and The Wives Tales.

Emma Wildes and I will be sharing a room.
This means I expect to be utterly sleep deprived when I go home. :)
It would be a complete understatement to mention that we like to chat.

And...there will be parties and books and male models...oh my.

If you're going...I'll see you there.
If not, I'll miss you. :)
L

Another 5 Star Review for The Sins of Their Fathers

Just Erotic Romance Reviews has given The Sins of Their Fathers a fabulous 5 Star review.
Woo Hoo!
Thanks to Karen for a lovely review.
For blurbs and Excerpts click HERE.
Enjoy.
L


Title: The Sins of Their Fathers
Author: Emma Wildes and Lara Santiago
Publisher: Siren Publishing
Publisher URL: www.sirenpublishing.com
Reviewer: Karen Haas

Improper Ladies 2: Can’t Say No by Emma Wildes
Rating: 5 Stars
Heat level: O

It has been nearly twenty years since Jenna Hayward and Jonathan Richmond, Earl of Charbeau, along with two other men, washed ashore on a deserted island in Improper Ladies 1: Savage Shores. Jonathan has decreed their daughter, Lady Helen, will marry a man she abhors. She is so desperate to break her betrothal she is willing to ruin herself to be free. Helen seeks out one of London’s most notorious rakes and begs him to do the deed. Lord Wade Warrick intended to flatly refuse and had no idea why he agreed to Lady Helen’s request. They immediately discover that they can’t stop thinking about each other and once is not nearly enough. The situation becomes especially tense when Wade and Helen become victims of a series of assaults and accidents of escalating danger. They know who is suspect, but proof is another matter and things may not always be just as they seem.

Of all the authors I’ve read, I believe Emma Wildes to be my hands-down favorite. Improper Ladies 2: Can’t Say No lives up to every expectation. Lady Helen is every bit the strong, determined and honest young woman I’ve come to expect from Ms. Wildes’ heroines. Lord Warrick is not the typical notorious rake. He is even more desirable and sexier as the result. The sex is varied and stimulating. I especially enjoyed how quickly Wade and Helen became obsessed with sex together. It would seem the Lady is as passionate as her mother and has found that rare man who is as sensual as her father. The plot is exceptional with imaginative twists and turns. In my opinion it has all the best elements of erotic romance. This story reads perfectly as a stand-alone, but you will certainly want to read the first after reading this one.

Kissed By Fate by Lara Santiago
Rating: 5 Stars
Heat level: O

Nearly twenty years have passed since Keller, future king of Tiburon, and Gabrielle, puny earthling, gave birth to twin daughters. At the same time as Crag, top military Commander of Tiburon and his not-so-puny earthling Ellie, gave birth to another set of twins. With no knowledge of the other’s identity, Crag’s son Alex and Keller’s daughter Lizzie met at a frat party and kissed during a party game when Alex visited Earth. Alex never lowered his shields but he still felt electricity and Lizzie tasted chocolate. They were both shocked at experiencing orgasm from a kiss, so they sneaked into the coat closet to experiment some more. Alex recognized Lizzie as his life-mate. Alex’s twin sister, Rea, future Commander of Tiburon, became gravely ill and Alex, next in line, had to return to Tiburon immediately. How will Alex and Lizzie be able to go on alone?

I loved this story as much as the rest of the series. Cultural differences create interesting and delightfully funny dilemmas when boy meets girl from another planet. Differences in the meanings of holding hands and touching lips on the two planets are once again the cause of a hysterical faux pas with universal repercussions. Lizzie and Alex are sexy, funny and tragic. The original cast has returned with the addition of the next generation. The sex is heated but sweet and amusingly different due to the difference in species. What could possibly be better than orgasms with chocolate? This third episode of the Tiburon series, Kissed By Fate, easily stands alone as another delightfully imaginative and inventive fantasy from one of my favorite authors, the ultra-talented Lara Santiago. I feel obligated to warn the readers that once you’ve read this offering, you won’t rest until you’ve read their beginning in the first two books of the series. The Sins of Their Fathers is the type of book that makes you happy you’ve experienced reading it. You’ll need your own hero or at least your favorite toys after reading this book. It is the kind that will make you fall in love all over again. I couldn’t recommend it more.

Karen Haas
Just Erotic Romance Reviews

A New Review for The Sins of Their Fathers

The Sins of Their Fathers is still the # 1 bestseller at Siren's Bookstore.
Woo Hoo!!

I've posted a new 5 Star review below from Review Your Book.
Thanks Debra! :):)
L


The new review:

5 Stars: "Can’t Say No is an erotic historical romance. Claudette is the perfect antagonist. Wade and Helen work well together. Jonathon and Jenna are delightful. The plot is interesting and well -written. Kissed By Fate reads like a beautiful fairy tale of the future. The characters are well-developed and strong. Shauna is the bad person that will go any lengths to keep the lovers apart. I love the plot and enjoyed every minute of Kissed By Fate.
The Sins of Their Fathers is a delightful read. The connecting threads are fathers that love their children and try to force relationships on them. The children know what they want and rebel. Both stories are excellent reads. Emma Wildes and Lara Santiago are talented authors. I expected we will be hearing more from each of them. Fans of romantica will enjoy The Sins of Their Fathers." —Debra Gaynor, Review Your Book

Rapture Volume 1 on sale...

My latest print anthology, Rapture Volume 1, with fabulous authors Emma Wildes, Gracie McKeever and Morgan Ashbury is on sale at Amazon.com Click here: Rapture Vol. 1 on sale at Amazon.

However, if you want to order it and receive free shipping...
go to Rapture Volume 1 at the Siren BookStore.



Book Description:
Four bestselling authors in erotic romance in one volume!

Lara Santiago's futuristic THE PROSECUTOR'S PARAMOUR, a prequel to The Wives Tales: In the year 2075, undercover enforcer Evie Marsh is dispatched to spy on the ambitious prosecutor, Zachary Valetta, only to fall in love and is betrayed by him as the radical Tiberius Group takes control of the U.S. and turns women into virtual properties in marriage auctions.

***** Gracie C. McKeever's urban fantasy SENTINEL'S HUNGER, a Sisters of Emsharra novella: Falling to a rare sentinel illness, Xevera Nanay encounters the biggest threat to her survival when paramedic Michael Constantine recognizes and imprisons her to exact revenge for what was done to his mother by her kind.

***** Morgan Ashbury's contemporary THE ENCHANTRESS, a Song of the Sirens novella: Twyla Harper is very good at "recovering" valuables for a living. Then she meets Nicholas Coultrain who gets under her skin and into her heart. There's only one problem: Nick is determined to bring down the Enchantress whose heist has destroyed his company.

***** Siren's #1 all-time bestselling author Emma Wildes's historical A DEVIL'S BARGAIN: Lady Isabelle is stolen by pirates and auctioned to the devil himself on a lawless tropical island. Condemned and banished, Devon Austin has a debt to settle, and when the daughter of his worst enemy falls into his lap, he takes advantage of the situation and will settle for nothing less than her very soul.

Enjoy!
L

The Sins of Their Fathers and a 5 Flag review :)

Emma Wildes called me one day and said, "You know, we should do a split collection together."

I hadn't had any coffee yet that morning, so I said, "Um...blurg... Split collection?" (There may have been a little drooling at this point.) "um...hmm... What's that?"

While I endeavored to get creamer and splenda into my cup of morning personality, instead of all over the countertop, she explained, "We'll each write something with a similar theme and put them together in a book."

I said, "Fabulous! Let's do it!" Only because I'd taken a long sip of my hazelnut flavored coffee and my brain had snapped into place.

So we each wrote a story for a combined novel entitled, The Sins of Their Fathers.
It's due for release on March 17, 2008 at Siren Publishing.

We just received our first advanced review from Euroreviews.
Woo Hoo!
Thanks so much, Melisa. We love it.
L

~~~~~

Title: The Sins of Their Fathers
Author: Emma Wildes & Lara Santiago
Publisher: Siren Publishing
Genre: Historical/Futuristic
Publication date: March 2008
ISBN: 1-60601-014-X
Pages: 281
Series:Sequels to Improper Ladies and The Tiburon Duet
Rating:
Heat Rating:
Reviewer: Melisa

Emma Wildes and Lara Santiago, two of my favorite authors have come together with a book that carries on into the next generation. And boy have I for one been waiting for it! There’s a bit of history here so stay with me.

Emma's Can't Say No is the sequel to Savage Shores and boy oh boy Jonathan and Jenna had a child that definitely has a mind and a body of her own and she isn’t afraid to use it! Poor Wade Warrick doesn’t stand a chance when the beautiful Lady Helen sets him in her sites. What should have been a one-time thing, her losing her virginity, soon becomes one night not even close to being enough. One secret meeting too many and there’s consequences for all. What might have started as a simple sexual affair becomes an inferno of love that you don’t want to pass up. Helen is a woman that you want to throw up a fist in victory for her inventive way of thwarting and outmaneuvering her father on his quest to do things his way.

*****

Lara's Kissed By Fate combines both Just a Kiss and Just One Embrace into a story that I couldn’t put down until I finished it. Alex is the son of Crag and Ellie (Just one Embrace) and he’s come to Earth and learning some very fun Earth rituals until he sets eyes on the lovely Lizzie—Keller and Gabrielle’s daughter. (Just A Kiss) Craig, Lizzie and Emma Ruth’s older brother is overprotective, but really! Going ape over a kiss?! Course the lovely twins don’t have a clue that their father is an alien and a kiss to humans is mouth-mating on the planet Tiburon, which is the equivalent of marriage on Earth. All Alex and Lizzie know is that it’s becoming harder and harder for them to be away from each other. Too bad there’s a person bent on having power and will do anything, even commit murder to get it. And the killer will kill anyone that gets in the way, no matter who it is.

These two ladies are the queens of a scene tear jerker.

To get the full feeling of Emma and Lara's work, you might want to start with the Reformed Rakes series. Won’t be sorry you did either. The Letter tells of Jared and Patricia Warren. With those two you need something cool beside you. Compromising Situations: Andrew and Christa might have gotten caught up in a scandalous situation, but it’s Andrew that learns from is innocent bride, and that sweet young thing rocks his world in more ways than one. A definite keeper. A Woman Seduced: Behind every good man is a fantastic woman. In Devlin’s case, he can’t help but think of ways to get her out of her clothes and into some very interesting positions. Then there’s her Brothers of the Absinthe Club. Christian’s story is in the paperback release and it is fantastic!

*****

Lara's got more than one feather in her cap also. And most all of them are on my shelves. Her Wives Tales series I can’t say enough about. I purchased Miner’s Wife, the first in the series and went on a hunt for the others. The Executive’s Wife was second. And let me tell you the consummation of the wedding had me squirming! The Lawman’s Wife was third and great as the other two. The fourth, and newest is The Mercenary’s Wife. Wasn’t anything like I was expecting, but it won’t let down.

Top Marks ladies, all around!

~~~~~

Here is the link: ... in case you don't believes me. :) :)

http://euroreviews.eu.funpic.de/bookdetails.php?book_id=1252

Interview of Emma Wildes by Mandy Roth

Marketing with Mandy Author Spotlight Emma Wildes

Q: Tell us a little about your experience with Siren Publishing.

A: I love Siren and Diana Debalko has a very aggressive approach to marketing the books the company publishes. Ads in Romantic Times magazine for instance. I had a full page in August. Wow, what a perk. That, besides great covers and some of the best editing out there…well, I’m home

Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?

A: This sounds too simple, but I write a lot. Under other names I am published also in mystery, horror, suspense, historical romance, and of course, erotic romance as Emma. I do believe it is important to have a lot of titles out there. I am an avid reader and what I want when I find an author I like—or love—is another book. I also keep my website up to date and try to participate in author days, etc. Sometimes it is hard to find the time, but I make sure I write 365 days a year. It’s no chore, because I love it!

Q: What is one thing you’d want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?

A: Persevere. I wish this advice was unique, but the truth is, you have to hang in there and believe it will come. Look at it the way I did: I would write anyway, paid or not. So, I write and submit and hope for the best. At the least, you’ll please yourself (not a bad thing). At the most, you’ll find great success. In between isn’t bad either.

Q: What’s your favorite genre to write in and why?

A: I write historical erotic romance and most of it is Regency. I love how polite gentlemen and their ladies were in that time…but they weren’t all that polite in the bedroom (well, who can be?)! The contrast interests me and I am a history buff anyway. Rakish heroes and independent heroines…oh yes. One of my editors complained I rarely let the hero rescue the heroine. Well, of course not. His intentions are good, mind you, but she is capable of taking care of herself most of the time .

Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP’s?

A: I am working on a sequel to Savage Shores as part of a new series, The Sins of Their Fathers, based on prior books. In this collection children of prior characters showcase their own stories. It is so fun to be able to revisit some of my favorites and let them deal with being parents and their headstrong offspring. The work will be titled Can’t Say No (he really can’t refuse the heroine) and will be coupled with the wonderful Lara Santiago in a dual collection. She does daring, unforgettable futuristic, so this should be fun.

Q: How did you get into writing?

A: I love to read. I’m addicted. I write a lot and probably still read three or four books a week. It was an easy avenue to take. I think I wanted to be a writer from the time I was nine or so.

Q: What authors inspired you growing up?

A: Oh, so glad you asked this because I love to answer this question. Zane Grey, Mary Stewart, Barbara Michaels, John Dickson Carr, and more recently Dick Francis, Elizabeth George and John Sanford. But I read everything and everyone, except science fiction is not my thing. For romance writers I enjoy Julia Quinn, Kimberly Cates, Mary Balough, and Iris Johanson. In erotic, well, hmm…Mandy Roth, Michelle Pillow, Kimberly Zant, and Lara Santiago come to mind. It sometimes is a small world.

LINKS:
http://www.emmawildes.com/

http://www.sirenpublishing.com/

This is from Mandy Roth's blog listed below:
http://www.mandyroth.com/blog/