Dear Author: Romance Book Reviews, Author Interviews, and Commentary

Jaci Burton Writes Hot Harley Riding Bad Boys and other publishing deals

By Jane • Aug 17th, 2007 • Category: Publishing News • •

Sadly I didn’t even know that there was a Wild Riders series let alone that there was a second book to the series. Must read Jaci’s blog more often.
Jaci Burton’s RIDING TEMPTATION, the second in her Wild Riders erotic suspense series, in which ex-Harley riding bad boys turned government agents go undercover in New Orleans to locate a rogue agent before he sells secrets to a drug cartel, again to Kate Seaver at Berkley Heat, in a nice deal, in a two-book deal, by Deidre Knight of The Knight Agency.

I still want to read that Immortal series.
USA Today bestselling author Joy Nash’s next book in the Immortals series, about the story of a Celtic demigod and human witch whose love is tested by demon treachery and a harrowing trip through the Underworld, to Leah Hultenschmidt of Dorchester, at Meredith Bernstein Literary Agency.

Hmm. I wonder what happens? Surely he won’t choose the passion in the arms of his enemy’s daughter, will he?
Kimberly Killion’s HER ONE DESIRE, about a Scottish spy escaping certain death in the Tower of London, and HIGHLAND DRAGON, about a man forced to choose between avenging his father’s death and surrendering to the passion he finds in the arms of his enemy’s daughter, to Hilary Sares at Kensington, by Meredith Bernstein Literary Agency.

I’m uncertain what I should take from the inclusion of the author’s age. Is it so that we are going to cut her slack because of her youth if the book is no good or that she is some type of prodigy for selling about that appears to be a somewhat fictionalized account of her real life?
Twenty-three-year-old Alicia Thompson’s debut young adult novel, THE PSYCH MAJOR SYNDROME, in which the narrator, a freshman majoring in psychology, begins to overanalyze everything in her life, to Alessandra Balzer at Hyperion Children’s, in a nice deal, by Laura Langlie (NA).

I need a pseudonym explanation. Why do these romance authors who are writing something slightly outside the genre given initialized pseudonyms. Lori Foster’s horror series is penned by LL Foster. It’s not like it’s a secret identity ala Tony Blake/Lacey Alexander (before she came out with the goods). Is it so that men who are afraid of female authored books will buy them without getting girl cooties?
Sylvia Day writing as S.J. Day’s first three books in the MARKED urban fantasy series, about an agnostic woman cursed with the Mark of Cain, which requires her to hunt divine outlaws as penance, a task complicated by contentious Cain and Abel, to Heather Osborn at Tor, by Pamela Harty at The Knight Agency (NA).

Sounds like a totally cute and relevant book.
Author/illustrator Selina Alko’s I’M YOUR PEANUT BUTTER BIG BROTHER, in which a biracial boy wonders if his unborn brother will look like him, mom, dad, or totally different, to Erin Clarke at Knopf, by Rebecca Sherman at Writers House.

The only thing I remember about this book is it had a dog on the cover.
Author of LOST & FOUND Jacqueline Sheehan’s next novel, again to Carrie Feron at Avon, by Jenny Bent at Trident Media Group (world English).

Anne Sowards edits Jim Butcher, Patricia Briggs and Ilona Andrews, three good urban fantasy writers. I used to read Caine but stopped reading after the fourth book or so. I think I got bored with the constant conflict that the heroine and the hero were being placed. It wasn’t any fun to read anymore. Maybe Outcast Season will be a good place to restart. That’s the downfall of writing series books. If your reader falls out of love with the series, she won’t keep buying the books. Whereas if your books are interconnected, featuring different main characters, the reader can give you another try.
Rachel Caine’s OUTCAST SEASON, featuring a Djinn cast out of her society and cut off from her powers, faced with partnering with a human and fighting forces even the powerful Djinn can’t or won’t confront, a four-book spin-off of her popular Weather Warden series, to Anne Sowards at Roc, in a very nice deal, by Lucienne Diver of Spectrum Literary Agency (NA).

Why do I think YA authors are buying into the “write what you know” a little too literally.
Identical twin authors Julia DeVillers and Jennifer Roy’s IDENTICAL CRISIS series, in which twin sisters decide to switch places, thereby throwing off the social hierarchy of middle school, to Mark McVeigh at Aladdin, in a good deal, in a pre-empt, in a three-book deal, by Mel Berger at William Morris Agency and Alyssa Eisner Henkin at Trident Media (NA).

Cynthia Eden’s untitled paranormal romance novella in a Bad Boys anthology, again to Megan Records at Kensington Brava, in a nice deal, by Laura Bradford at Bradford Literary Agency.

Tagged as:

Jane is a long time romance reader whose passion is, you guessed it, reading. Jane also does not like to talk about herself in the third person, but apparently this is the way that this biography thing works (although in a true biography, someone else would be writing this blurb). Anyway, currently Jane loves urban fantasy authors Patricia Briggs and Ilona Andrews. She's really excited about this year's crop of historicals including Joanna Bourne's The Spymaster's Lady and Sherry Thomas' Private Arrangements and the upcoming Loretta Chase Her Scandalous Ways. She's looking for a good contemporary author. Email her with a recommendation!
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7 Responses »

  1. *gasp*. You don’t read my blog? But I’m very entertaining, Jane. ;-)

    The first book is Riding Wild, Feb ‘08. Has a cover and everything.

    It’s on my blog. *grin*

  2. I don’t know if the initials work as a disguise. So many women have done the same when writing sff and mystery that I assume that anyone who uses initials is female.

  3. Re: the initialed pseudonym. I’m going to speculate that they go with it to separate the new series/genre from their romance writing (Attn: new readers! This book doesn’t have any love cooties in it!) while still being “recognizable” to the romance fan base. Trying to kill two birds with one stone or as I like to call it “being all things to all people.”

  4. Don’t understand the initialed pseudonym thing either. Wouldn’t you lose some readership if your fans don’t know the initials stand for an author they love?

    Unless you have multiple personalities, stick with one name, please.

  5. Regarding Rachel Caine, I had the same issue around book 3/4, but stuck with it until the next book and suddenly, I’m crazy in love with the series again.

  6. As the author with the inclusion of the age, your guess is as good as mine as to why it was included.

    Regardless, I can tell you that:

    a) The novel IS based on my experiences as a psych major at a small college, but is by no means autobiographical. I tried writing-what-I-didn’t know (a romance novel? about an ex-stripper and an Italian tycoon? What was I thinking?), and this novel just kind of came out of me (at the same time I was trying to write my thesis, unfortunately.) It was a fun book to write, so I hope it’s fun to read, as well!

    b) Please don’t cut me slack because of my age! Maybe cut me some slack because it’s my debut novel, but even then — no more than you would any other first-time published author.

  7. Yes, it’s true. Jennifer and I are taking “write what you know” literally by writing about identical twins.

    But, I’ve never ridden a motorcycle, so ‘Hot Harley Riding Bad Twins’ didn’t come to mind. Perhaps that will be the sequel. Heh.

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