May's Newsletter Now Available!

The May 2011 issue of Awakening Desires—the Newsletter of Romance Author N.J. Walters—is now available.

Be sure to check out all the latest news, my husband’s popular column—Confessions of a Romance Author’s Husband, an excerpt from my upcoming release--Legacy Found--and this month’s Interview with the MuseItHot Author, Kat Holmes.

As always, some lucky newsletter subscriber wins a prize. All you have to do to be eligible to win is go to the Awakening Desires Newsletter and join. While you’re there, you can check out back issues of the newsletter.

Last Weekend to Enter

This weekend is the last one to enter my print book giveaway contest!

On May 3rd, Legacy Found, my 50th book will be released by Samhain Publishing. I can hardly believe I've had fifty books published in six and a half years. It's been a wild and amazing ride.





To thank all of you who have been a part of this, I'm giving away five print books--one copy each of Three Swords, One Heart, Tapestry Dreams, Alexandra's Legacy, Jamesville Affairs and By the Book.





That's right. There are five books to give away so there will be five winners!





Just go to my Website and click on the "Contests" page for details on how you can enter for a chance to win.





Thank you to all my readers for making these first fifty books possible. I can't wait to write the next fifty.





Winning names will be drawn on May 2nd.

Support Author Judy Mays!

Author and long-time member of the romance community, Judy Mays, is under attack. In her day job she is a high school teacher and has been for almost 25 years. Now she is being heavily criticized for her other job as a writer.

Judy Mays is an amazing writer and a very classy lady all the way. Obviously, she's never brought her writing into the classroom and she's been an excellent teacher, but that no longer seems to matter.


Read Article Here

Support Judy Mays on Facebook

Please show Judy your support.

New Cover--MacNamara's Lady

Look at the fabulous new cover I just received for MacNamara's Lady. Thank you Ellora's Cave Art Department and, especially, Syneca. I absolutely love it. Check out the blurb below. No release date yet, but I'll keep you posted.


BLURB:

Missy Sinclair knows what she wants out of life—a secure job, a fine home, financial independence and, eventually, a man to share it with. That man will have class and style, share her goals and tastes and like fine wine and classical music. Why then is she so attracted to T. S. MacNamara who is the complete opposite?

T. S. makes no apologies to anyone for his life. He’s worked hard to make his general contracting business a success. He likes beer and football. He’s not looking for anything permanent. Problem is, he can’t stop wanting Missy.

When he rescues Missy from a violent mugging the seething physical attraction that’s been shimmering between them for months finally explodes. Classy and rough, dark and light, educated and blue-collar. Opposites attract—at least in the bedroom. But they both have secrets that won’t stay buried and they threaten to drive them apart unless they’re both willing to face their pasts.

Week in Review and Contest Reminder!

Hope you all enjoyed the long Easter weekend. The Easter bunny stopped by my house and left some treats for us to enjoy. Love me some dark chocolate.



Worked on galley proofs last week for A Touch of Magick. Look for it in print in September. In the meantime, my poor WIP (work in progress) is still coming along. I'm up to about 47, 000 words and am hoping to finish the rough draft this week. (fingers crossed)



Beyond that, there was the usual stuff--housework, errands, etc... I did download and read the new Amanda Quick book--Quicksilver. Love her books.



AND, I read Laurann Dohner's latest Cyborg book--Redeeming Zorus. LOVED IT! It's always a treat to see how an author is going to redeem a former bad guy and Laurann Dohner managed to do just that. If you haven't checked out her Cyborg series you're really missing out on a treat.



Hoping to get a lot of writing done this week. We'll see...



Have a great week. And if you haven't entered my fabulous contest in celebration of my 50th book release, see the details below. :)





CONTEST REMINDER:



On May 3rd, Legacy Found, my 50th book will be released by Samhain Publishing. I can hardly believe I've had fifty books published in six and a half years. It's been a wild and amazing ride.







To thank all of you who have been a part of this, I'm giving away five print books--one copy each of Three Swords, One Heart, Tapestry Dreams, Alexandra's Legacy, Jamesville Affairs and By the Book.




That's right. There are five books to give away so there will be five winners!



Just go to my Website and click on the "Contests" page for details on how you can enter for a chance to win.



Thank you to all my readers for making these first fifty books possible. I can't wait to write the next fifty.


Winning names will be drawn on May 2nd.

Happy Easter!

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

Earth Day 2011

Today, April 22, is Earth Day 2011 .

According to the Earth Day website:

The first Earth Day, on April 22, 1970, activated 20 million Americans from all walks of life and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement. The passage of the landmark Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and many other groundbreaking environmental laws soon followed. Growing out of the first Earth Day, Earth Day Network (EDN) works with over 22,000 partners in 192 countries to broaden, diversify and mobilize the environmental movement. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world.

Read More HERE.

Everyday should be Earth Day. What are you doing to help?

I use energy efficient light bulbs, keep the heat as low as I can and use cloth bags at the grocery store. I don't run the water when I'm brushing my teeth or doing the dishes. I didn't even own a car until three years ago. And the car I do own is very fuel efficient. It all helps. :)

Happy Earth Day!

Doing Galley Proofs...

I blinked and it was Wednesday. Where is this week going?

I'm off doing galley proofs for A Touch of Magick, which will be out in print in September. Hopefully, after that, I'll be back at my WIP.

May the force be with you. :)

Woven Dreams now in PRINT!

Woven Dreams, book 3 of the Tapestries series, is now available in PRINT!

BLURB:

In Javara, women are scarce and brothers must share a woman, although only one can claim her as a wife. Scarred and maimed from a battle fought almost a year ago, Jarmon Bakra is afraid chances are slim that he and his twin brother, Garrik, will find a bride.

While on a hunting trip, the brothers stumble upon a woman claiming to be a tapestry bride. Now that fate has dropped a beautiful, courageous woman in their path, they will both use all their sexual skills separately and together to convince her to stay.

But Genny has secrets of her own and they have only three days to uncover the truth.

BUY THE BOOK

Read an Excerpt

What's in a Season?

What's in a Season? Plenty. The season and the weather can play a huge roll in the mood and the plot of a book. I'm talking about that particular subject over at The Romance Studio Blue Blog today. Stop by and check it out!

Electronic Equipment and Me

It seems to me that everthing seems to break down at once. Our main computer has been acting very strangely these past few weeks. I think the motherboard is on the way out--it runs slow and the screen freezes. And that's only a couple of the strange things it's doing. Hoping it holds out another couple of weeks until we have the time to replace it. And, yes, we have backed up everything. But it's still going to be a nuisance to have to replace it and get everything up and running again.

And yesterday morning the DVR player decided it wasn't going to record. For a while it would even release the disk inside it from captivity. After unplugging the DVR, and accidentally unplugging the television and losing all the preset channels, it coughed up the disk. Tried several disks with the same results. Broke out a new disk and finally got the machine to work. But for how long is anyone's guess.

I know I'll sound like my grandparents, but here goes...they don't make things like they used to. Electronic equipment is built to last about two years. After that time it's either obsolete or breaking down. The major companies who build this stuff want you to keep spending your money on new stuff.

Remember when a television set was meant to last twenty years or more and folks actually got them repaired? When a stereo was a piece of furniture that was an investment. I do. Don't get me wrong, I think techological advancement is great. I just wish I could get more than two years before a relatively expensive piece of equipment is toast.

Here's to a new computer somewhere in the not too distant future. Hope this one makes it that long. Let's pray nothing else decides to give out in the next few weeks, myself included. lol I'm not getting any younger and I fear my warranty expired years ago.

Have a great Wednesday!

Featured Author at TRS

I'm one of the featured authors for the month of April over at The Romance Studio Blue Pages. I'm talking about my newest Ellora's Cave print release Three Swords, One Heart. Stop by and check it out!

Book of the Week--The Countess

I just finished reading Lyndsay Sands historical romance The Countess. I loved it! This book combines intrigue, murder and...humor. Yes, that's right, humor. Now that takes talent.

This is the first book in the Madison sisters series. Book 2, The Heiress is already out and I can't wait to read it.

BLURB:

The fairy tale courtship did not turn into a happily ever after…

Not until her husband dropped dead, that is. He had been horrible enough to Christiana during their short marriage, and she was not going to allow the traditional period of mourning to ruin her sisters’ debuts as well. So Christiana decides to put him on ice and go on as if nothing’s happened…

Until the real earl appears. Richard Fairgrave had every intention of confronting his villainous twin who robbed him of his name and title…only to discover that he’d died. Quietly assuming his identity, Richard must now deal with a maddening desire for his ravishing inherited “wife”—certainly a gold digger and possibly a murderess. And Christiana must deal with an unwanted new “husband”…and they both must figure out what to do before the ice melts!

Desiree Holt--Celebrating 100 Books!

This month Desiree Holt celebrates her 100th release with Downstroke from Ellora’s Cave. Downstroke is the story of lover reunited after twenty years trying to bridge a gulf of bitterness while outwitting a killer. To help her celebrate I’m giving you a taste of one of her other books.

Leave a comment here for Desiree. I will pick a name from the commenters for a winner of a choice from Desiree's backlist. Then, after you comment, go to www.desireeholt.com and enter the contest for the refurbished Acer netbook. You will also find a list there of all the other blogs participating in this celebration. Be sure to visit them and comment for more chances to win.

BLURB:

It’s been a bad week for Taylor Scott. First her grandmother dies, then she discovers her father is alive, not dead, and when she tries to see him he has her thrown out of his office. Angry and disillusioned, she drowns her sorrows with a gorgeous stranger in the hotel bar, and indulges in the wildest night of erotic sex she’s ever experienced.

Back in Florida she’s wrapping up her grandparents’ estate and looking to make some changes in her life when she learns her father, a Texas billionaire, has been murdered. And who shows up in her office to drag her back to Texas but the stranger from the hotel – Noah Cantrell, her father’s vice president and closest confidante.

With his empire unexpectedly in her hands, she’s thrust into a world of international intrigue where the person next to her could be the murderer. Things are complicated by the high voltage passion that explodes between her and Noah, a passion that no matter how they seem to fight it, sweeps them along on a treacherous current. Is Noah friend or foe? And what will happen when the truth finally comes out?

EXCERPT:

Taylor felt shock ripple through him and she clutched harder at the fabric of his jacket to keep him from pulling back. She wanted this man in ways she’d never wanted anyone else. Ways that startled her as her body reacted in an unfamiliar manner. She almost pulled back, frightened at the explosion of desire streaking through her, but determination overrode trepidation. For all the things she’d lost and the ones she’d never had, she deserved this. She pressed her tongue hard against his mouth, and whether from shock or desire he opened and she tasted him. Whiskey and coffee and mint combined to produce a heady flavor that tantalized her sense of taste. She sucked at his tongue, drawing him into her mouth in a kiss more sensuous than she’d ever permitted herself. Or ever wanted.

His hand gripped her upper arms tightly as if to push her away but she had a death grip on his lapels. She was so damned tired of being strait-laced and obedient. The past week had stripped away all the steel bands restricting her life, with today finishing the job. All that obedience had been for nothing. Now she wanted wild, a night that would help her blot out all the dark feelings rampaging through her.

With a groan the man pulled her closer. His own tongue responded to hers, sweeping into her mouth, leaving no inch of the dark wetness untouched. The slight roughness of it scraped across the sensitive tissues, calling each hidden nerve into play. His lips fused to hers, pressing down on them, devouring them, as his fingers dug into her shoulders.

They stood suspended in the darkness, sensations from the kiss rocketing through her body and drawing forth reactions from parts of her body long dormant. Her nipples began to tingle and she felt wetness seeping between her thighs. She would give anything to stay this way forever, balanced on a precipice.

He was the first to break away, looking down at her with glittering eyes. “I think you’ve had far too much to drink.”

Taylor was trying to find her breath but all the air seemed to have been sucked out of her lungs. The pulse that beat between her legs was echoing through her core. She knew about “getting hot” and “getting wet” but this was the first time a man had made her feel it. The drinks had nothing to do with what was happening to her. It was the man, a powerful jungle animal who called to the hidden wildness within her.

“This is my idea, not the whiskey.” She pulled in another breath and tried to drag his face down to hers again.

He tightened his hands on her shoulders, a strangled sound erupting from his throat. “I’m a stranger. You can’t just pick me up and take me to your room like this. Don’t you know things like that aren‘t safe?”

“I don’t think you’ll harm me,” she whispered. “I don’t know why but I trust you.”

And wasn’t that absurd, when she’d hardly trusted anyone all her life. Yet something in him gave her a sense of security, certainly unusual when locked in the darkness with a caged panther. “Please don’t pull away.” With slightly trembling fingers she shifted his tie out of the way and began to unbutton his shirt. She pressed her body against him, rubbing herself against the hard erection the layers of clothing between them couldn’t hide.

“This is insanity.” His voice was hard and edgy, his grip on her tightening almost to the point of pain. “There are things about me you don’t know.”

Taylor licked the bare skin of his chest that she’d exposed and slid her hands inside his shirt. The warmth of his body almost burned her. Beneath the hot male skin he was harder than steel, his muscles like ropes of steel. As her tongue found his soft chest and the tip of it danced over him, his breathing hitched.

She looked up at him, struggling to bring out words. “Are you a wanted criminal? Do you have a deadly disease? No? Then I don’t care about anything else.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I want this. I want you.”

Celebrating 50 Books Contest!

On May 3rd, Legacy Found, my 50th book will be released by Samhain Publishing. I can hardly believe I've had fifty books published in six and a half years. It's been a wild and amazing ride.

To thank all of you who have been a part of this, I'm giving away five print books--one copy each of Three Swords, One Heart, Tapestry Dreams, Alexandra's Legacy, Jamesville Affairs and By the Book.

That's right. There are five books to give away so there will be five winners!

Just go to my Website and click on the "Contests" page for details on how you can enter for a chance to win.

Thank you to all my readers for making these first fifty books possible. I can't wait to write the next fifty.

Winning names will be drawn on May 2nd.

April Fool's Day!