Tanzey Talk
June 2003
Sharon Murphy, one of the RT Convention Coordinators, has asked that I post the direct link to the convention's web site - www.rtbooklover.com - as well as the main site, www.romantictimes.com. I talked to RT Publisher Carol Stacy this past week, and the excitement is really building throughout the industry for this 20th year celebration.
The store has gotten several queries about the next Highlander tale from the popular Karen Marie Moning. When I checked her web site, I found that Adam Black's story (finally!) will be titled The Immortal Highlander and is set for publication this October. I hope we can stand to wait that long!
Tara Taylor Quinn has signed her first single-title 3-book contract with Mira. The initial release is Where the Road Ends and is set to go on sale in July. Tara will continue to write for the Harlequin Superromance category line while expanding into the longer format.
The next book in Jo Beverley's Malloren world -Winter Fire - is due for release in November. It revolves around a Christmas house party at Rothgar Abbey, and an excerpt was posted in the back of her recent release, St. Raven. Then in December, another reissue of a Rogues books -Forbidden - is due. Jo says she and her publisher discussed changing the name, since it didn't really seem to fit, but they didn't want to confuse readers into thinking it was new. For those of you building this collection, the next reissue in the line will be Dangerous Joy in December 2004. In January 2004, Secrets of the Night will also be reissued. Jo's original works are very hard to find, so readers feel these reissues to be quite justified.
Between directing a high school drama performance, preparing for her son's wedding to his college sweetheart and rehearsing for a concert tour of Northern Europe, Linda Needham has been writing The Pleasure of Her Kiss, the first of a new trilogy called The Gentleman Rogues. It's set to go on sale in November. She's now hard at work on the second installment, tentatively titled The Last True Princess, which is slated for November 2004.
Dorien Kelly has been chosen to be one of the launch authors for Harlequin's new romantic comedy chick-lit line, dubbed Flipside. Dorien's book, titled Do Over, should be available in November. To keep up with the changing market, Harlequin is replacing its comic, double-format Duets line with this single-title Flipside line.
Susan Grant has launched a brand new web site at www.susangrant.com and invites everyone to visit and enter her contest. Susan had a prequel to her Star series in the form of a novella - The Star Queen - in the recent The Only One anthology. She'll be continuing this futuristic series (The Star King and The Star Prince) in August with The Star Princess. After that, she has an exciting new project in the works - a six-book series coming out next April-September 2004. Susan says, "I'll be writing the first and the last book, but all the stories will be based in part on the 'world' I've created - the kind of story I've always wanted to write. The Banzai Books ('Banzai' is the working title and the nickname of my heroine, USAF Captain Bree Maguire!) will be female action adventure stories, thrillers for women. Fast-paced and action-packed, each book will also contain an exciting, emotion-filled and sexy romance."
The newest romantic suspense from the talented Dee Davis is set for September from Ivy and titled Dancing in the Dark. Then in December, we can look for a romantic time-travel from Leisure called Wild Highland Rose.
Lauren Royal has finished the manuscript for the final book in her Ashcroft series. Look for Rose, the last of the Ashcroft sisters, to be in stores in October. Even though Rose is determined to marry a nobleman, commoner Christopher Martyn has other plans for her.
In Suzanne Brockmann's latest newsy update, she had a personal note I had to share: "I've always said that someday I'd like to sing and dance in a musical with my son, Jason - who's been doing theater since he was eight. Well, he's 17 now, and someday is here!" For six weeks, starting April 25, Jason, Suz and hubby, Ed, performed in the chorus of Once Upon a Mattress at the Turtle Lane Playhouse in Newton, MA. Every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, they could be seen singing and dancing up a storm! What fun!
Several authors have announced new contracts lately. Nancy Herkness sold her second book to Berkley - Falling Stars, a single-title contemporary, will be published in July 2004. Her debut book - A Bridge Too Far - will be released as a Berkley Sensation this August. Jennifer Ashley has signed a second contract with Leisure to write three historical romances with the first - The Pirate Next Door - set for October. She's also inked a 3-book deal with Berkley to write a Regency mystery series under the pseudonym Ashley Gardner. The Hanover Square Affair will go on sale in December, followed by the second in the series in March 2004. Kimberly Raye sold three contemporary romances to Warner that will feature daughters of a famous feminist. Beverly Brandt signed a 2-book contract with St. Martin's, while Robin Lee Hatcher sold a 4-book Inspirational romance series to Baker. Walter Zacharius, founder and CEO of Kensington Publishing, has sold his first novel, set during WWII, to Atria for publication next spring. Tess Gerritsen has sold film rights to her RITA-award winning The Surgeon to Universal Pictures-based Shutt-Jones Productions (Blue Crush), while Jennifer Crusie has sold film and TV rights to her book Faking It.
Diana Gabaldon has announced that there will be at least two more books in her highly popular, best-selling Outlander series. Titles and pub dates aren't set yet since she's still busy writing them. However, you can look for a new historical mystery from Diana to be out this winter featuring Lord John Gray (a spin-off character for the Outlander books). The title is Lord John and the Private Matter.
I was delighted to learn that Gayle Lynds has been writing a sequel to her debut best-selling novel, Masquerade (one of my favorite books!). The new novel is The Coil, but I don't have a pub date yet. She's also written another book in the Robert Ludlum Covert One series, The Altman Code, as well as collaborating with her husband on a short story - A Delicate Mission - included in the anthology Flesh & Blood: Guilty as Sin: Erotic Tales of Crime & Passion.
Once again, Linda Lael Miller is awarding five $1000 Scholarships for Women. You can find the rules and an application on her web site - www.lindalaelmiller.com. Deadline for this year's competition is November 15. Be sure to check this out!
In August, Teresa Medeiros' much-anticipated sequel to A Kiss to Remember - titled One Night of Scandal - goes on sale. This new book will be published originally as a mass market paperback.
Janet Evanovich has recently signed a deal with Harper to write two new hardcover books for publication in 2004. She'll still be writing her best-selling, much-loved Stephanie Plum books for St. Martin's. Janet says, "The Harper deal is for two non-Stephanie thriller-type books. I'm going to have to write faster!" I can't wait for more!
Again be sure to scroll down for some of our readers' comments.
Tanzey Cutter
Editor of the Old Book Barn Gazette
For those of you who do not subscribe to the paper publication of Old Book Barn Gazette, where my column originates, I'd like to include some of the interesting readers' comments we occasionally receive.
- Author Sara Bennett: Thank you for sending me a copy of your April Gazette containing the wonderful review of my book, Once He Loves. I've also taken a look at my review on TheBestReviews.com, and it was just as good the second time. Living so far away from my publisher, reviews on web sites are often the only ones I get to see. Again, thanks!
- Author Denise Swanson: Thank you so much for printing a review of new newest book, Murder of a Snake in the Grass, in your April issue. I really appreciate the support you've given me since my very first book.
- Geraldine Bowman, Illinois: I'm happy and elated that Cheryl is the RT Bookseller of The Year! I've been a fan of her's and the store since the days of the first editions of the Gazette. I believe no other bookstore can hold a candle to the Old Book Barn and its wonderful staff.
- Author Dixie Browning: As usual, another great issue of OBBG. By the way - congratulations to Cheryl!
- Heide Cloninger, Germany: Tanzey/Sue - I wish you a successful workshop at the RT BOOKclub convention, and I do hope authors and publishers will listen and take the readers' concerns to heart.
- Reviewer Suan Wilson: Every once in a great while a book comes along that redefines a genre. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown is a phenomenal book that will change suspense novels! It encompasses biology, religion, art, math, history and even architecture. Each chapter ends with a cliffhanger, which makes it impossible to put down. Brown's interpretations of true facts amazes and enthralls. Readers of all genres, from literature to romance, will love it! Do not miss this great book!
- Marjorie Diamond, Louisiana: Tanzey, I have the first two books in Annette Blair's Regency trilogy (An Undeniable Rogue and An Unforgettable Rogue), and I like them very much. Can you tell me when the third book, An Unmistakable Rogue is due to be released? I thought it was to come last November, and I have really been looking forward to reading it. Marjorie - Annette's web site shows a release date of October 2003, so I'm afraid you still have a few more months to wait. TC
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