Dear Author: Romance Novel Reviews, Industry News, and Commentary

Freedom to Tinker provides 2009 predictions which include netbook/larger iPhone at $899; civil lawsuits over violation of terms of service based on Lori Drew case; Obama administration prosecutions for large scale bittorrent abusers.
Alpha Heroes wonders what is up with the animal-like genetalia.  Rhev (the hero in JR Ward’s next book) is a sympath whose penis has a “barb” (google wolves and barb kids).  This isn’t the first barb in romance.  You can that NYTimes bestselling author Lora Leigh.  (Thanks Bec).
Oprah Winfrey makes a notation on her website about the fabricated Holocaust Memoir and she’s the target of what Ars Technica calls patent trolls, individuals who file for patents for the purpose of bringing lawsuits instead of actually producing something.
Galley Cat gives a brief history of ads in books. I’m not a fan of that route of monetization.
Mills & Boon is hooking up with Rugby Football Union to produce Rugby related romance books.  Bring some sports to us in the States, Harlequin!!  Now I propose we suggest our own favorite titles:  BOUGHT:  The Revengeful Rugby Tycoon’s Virgin Princess Bride’s Secret Baby.  Top that, I dare you.  (Thanks Ann).
Facebook reaches 160 million users.  Do you …

According to the Romantic Times, Robin Schone suffered a major heart attack on Christmas Day and is currently recovering in the hospital. Currently she is unable to speak and it is unknown whether she is having that difficulty because of suffering a stroke or a larynx related injury. Robin Schone has a new release in March - Cry for Passion. This is pretty sad news. Schone was really a trailblazer of erotic romance. I hope her a good recovery if it can’t be speedy.

The list is sparse guys. It’s hard to say whether we are behind in our reading or whether January was just a bad month for us. I have four recommendations for February so I am going with the latter.

From Jayne

Whistling in the Dark by Tamara Allen
It’s post war New York City and everything is changing. Old conventions are being abandoned for the bright new possibilities as flappers bob their hair and raise their hemlines. People can actually buy a newfangled contraption called a radio and listen to music in their homes. Sleek cars cruise the streets and wild parties take place on rooftops. Jazz fills nightclubs and people are hurrying to buy up booze before Prohibition finally goes into effect. The city that never sleeps has something for everyone. You just have to know where to look.

But for Sutton Albright, New York is a last resort. He could go home to the family empire in Topeka but after what he was expelled from college for doing, the shame would embarrass his family. So he pawns most of what he owns and gratefully takes a job in a diner. It’s here, while delivering meals …

I need the name and email address of a person in the NY City area who reads using the Sony Reader and would be willing to give a testimonial about their experience.  Anyone?  

jane at dearauthor.com

Dear Ms. Maguire:

I’ve been meaning to read you for a year or so but I haven’t gotten around to it until recently. This book intrigued me, though, and I thought it was the perfect place to start.

When Anthony Maddox was 10 years old, he was lost on an African Safari. His father searched but could not find him, eventually going home and dying within a year of his return. Anthony’s grandmother kept up the search by offering a large reward. Twenty-two years later, while he was sick, two adventurers came upon him in a valley several hundred miles inland. The story of Anthony’s loss in Africa was legendary and coming upon a white man in this territory made the adventurers think of his story. They questioned him and are provided enough information to believe that he is the genuine lost heir.

In some sense, this was a captivity romance, but only in reverse. Anthony is captured and taken back to England where he is to learn to act, speak and comport himself as a gentleman worthy of the title, Earl of Sutton. If he cannot convince the House …

This Saturday Night, at the hot pink palace of Bitches, Sarah and I will be discussing book-club style the February 2009 Harlequin Presents Mediterranean Boss, Convenient Mistress by Kathryn Ross.

Joining us will be Jawk and Jace, two of my gay friends who so enjoyed themselves during last week’s liveblog that they agreed to read a straight Harlequin Presents. We’ll be reading the book this week and signing on to discuss it on Saturday 10 January at 9pm EST/8pm CST. You’re welcome to join us. This is a bit of a deviation from our standard reading-along live blogging, but with novellas not being our thang, we decided to try a live blog book club style discussion.

So tune on on Saturday night here at La Casa de Los Dos Bitches, and see what trouble a mediterranean boss can get into with his convenient mistress.

Dear Mrs. Kelly,

I admit right off the bat that I’m a Kellyphile from way back. Once I got back into reading romance years ago, friends of mine praised your trad Regency books and after the first one I read (”Reforming Lord Ragsdale”), I had to have them all. It’s a lot easier, and cheaper, to be able to buy them new. So imagine my delight to learn that you have not just one but TWO new releases this year. Nirvana….bliss…Snoopy happy dance….

Eleanor “Nana” Massie is a hardworking young woman. She really has no choice since the small inn in Plymouth owned by her Gran is her only home in the world. But it’s tucked back from the waterfront, far from foot traffic and the ships of the Royal Navy and times are hard. There’s little leisure traveling by civilians and the blockade being kept up by the warships means they’re not in port except for dire emergencies.

And it’s only such an emergency - actually an idiot fellow captain who accidentally ran his ship into the stern of HMS Tireless - that brings Captain Oliver Worthy back to port. While in …

Dear Ms. Viehl:

I’ve been a fan of yours ever since I picked up Star Doc about 9 years ago. I haven’t been quite so thrilled by your Darkyn books, but have had some favorites such as 2008’s Evermore. Despite some frustration with the series, I was sad to hear that this was your final novel about the Darkyn and I was eager to see how you would conclude it all.

Stay the Night is Robin’s book. Well . . . sort of. Robin of Locksley-that’s right, I said Locksley- has been stealing from the rich for the last 700 years. With the help of his Darkyn powers of persuasion, he can charm just about anyone into doing almost anything.  The FBI has dubbed him The Magician for his most recent larcenous exploits involving the theft of priceless works of art.

Chris Renshaw is a special agent for the FBI. She was recently transferred to the Chicago office amid a scandal involving her partner’s firing and subsequent suicide. Chris  (you …

more animals

I’m worried, readers. I am worried about publishing as a business. My worries do not stem from used sales. My worries do not stem from piracy of digital books. My worry is that publishing will not take this opportunity to innovate. Anita Elberse’s article in the Wall Street Journal only increases my concerns. Elberse’s argument is essentially that the current publishing business model worked before and so publishers need to keep at it. I found her to be arguing that the existing publishing model is the only publishing model.

The current publishing business model:

The current publishing business model is built on the success just a few titles: The Secret, the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling, The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown. According to Elberse,
Most large media firms make outsized investments to acquire and market a small number of titles with strong hit potential, and bank on their sales to make up for middling performance in the rest of their catalogs.
Publishing operates under the Pareto concept.  20% of the titles generate 80% of the publishing houses’ profits.  But one successful book or series does …

On the one hand you have Scroll Motion trying to sell ebooks higher than the hardcover price. On the other, you have Orbit launching a rotating $1.00 ebook program. Each month, Orbit will offer one ebook for the big old price of $1.00. You can get this $1.00 ebook at virtually any ebookstore and in almost every format. Way to go Orbit.