This week is an eclectic mix - some old-school type stuff, some already-played-out stuff, and zombies.

I loved the movie Lost In Translation, and this sounds like a literary parallel. I’d buy it.

Malena Watrous’s REPEAT AFTER ME, in an effort to outpace her grief, a young American woman moves to rural Japan shortly after her father’s suicide and finds work as an English teacher as well as unexpected solace with her Japanese supervisor and seemingly different neighbors, to Jeanette Perez at Harper Perennial, by Lisa Bankoff at ICM (World).

This sounds like all those 1980s ‘science fiction’ romances crossed with a harem fantasy. I should be disgusted, but who are we kidding? I’d buy this on release day.
Shelli Stevens’s CAPTURED ROSE, on a planet where females are on the endangered species list, a woman who has spent her life in erotic servitude to the three wealthy and powerful men who own her finds freedom and passion in the arms of her abductor, a man who should be her fiercest enemy, to Peter Sentfleben at Kensington Aphrodisia, in a nice deal, in a two-book deal, by Laura Bradford at Bradford Literary Agency.

Yay! She writes very enjoyable Blazes. Can’t wait for the next trilogy.
Kathleen O’Reilly’s next three contemporary romances, to Kathryn Lye at Harlequin Blaze, for publication in 2009, by Kimberly Whalen at Trident Media Group.

This sounds just like every single other Regency-set romance…until you mention the gigolo. I’m not sure that’s a plot element I’d enjoy.
Georgiana Earl’s HER LADYSHIP’S COMPANION, in which a lady, who has been banished to the Scottish countryside into a marriage of convenience, is offered the ultimate temptation when her cousin, determined to cheer her, arranges for a dalliance with a handsome man from one of London’s most famous brothels, a man who rouses the passionate nature she has tried so hard to hide, and a promised fortnight of pleasure leads to a chance at true love, to Wendy McCurdy at Berkley, by Kevan Lyon at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency (World).

Not another Pride & Prejudice spinoff. What’s next? Darcy and Lizzie Escape from Guantanamo Bay?
Sara W. Angel’s THE TRIALS OF THE HONORABLE F. DARCY, in which a sexy, smart attorney Elizabeth Bennett meets the dashing but dour Judge Darcy and fireworks fly, in a contemporary take on Pride and Prejudice - with attitude, to Deb Werksman at Sourcebooks, by Kevan Lyon at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency (world).

I believe she writes medievals. I’m happy to see the market swinging in ANY direction but Regency.
Karin Tabke’s next two historicals in the Blood Sword Legacy series, to Lauren McKenna at Pocket, in a very nice deal, by Kimberly Whalen at Trident Media Group (world).

Rocki St. Claire is definitely making a name for herself in Romantic Suspense.
USA Today bestselling author Roxanne St. Claire’s next two romantic suspense books in the BULLET CATCHERS series, in a very nice deal, to Micki Nuding at Pocket, by Kimberly Whalen at Trident Media Group (world English).

I could care less. So this is an email version of Bridget Jones’s diary? No thanks.
Holly Denham’s pseudonymous HOLLY’S INBOX, about the author’s love and life as a receptionist in London, first published online and then in the UK by Hodder, to Deb Werksman at Sourcebooks, by Jonathan Lyons at Lyons Literary, on behalf of Broo Doherty at Wade & Doherty.

Now this sounds interesting.
Jane Singer’s BOOTH’S SISTER, the poignant story of John Wilkes Booth’s sister, Asia, who suffered the wrath of a nation in the aftermath of his crime, to Deborah Smith at Bell Bridge Books, in a nice deal, for publication in July 2008 (NA).

Maybe I’m reading this wrong, but I immediately thought of Brokeback Mountain. Am I the only one?
Kennedy Foster’s STANDFAST, in which a rancher and a ranch hand come to love each other in the austere terrain of Eastern Washington; overcoming cultural misunderstandings, the threat of deportation, the looming menace of a lien holder, and the problems of a loving family, to Abby Zidle at Pocket, in a nice deal, for publication in July 2009, by Janet Reid at FinePrint Literary Management (World English).

There are no words.
Gini Koch’s TOUCHED BY AN ALIEN, in which a woman joins forces with gorgeous aliens to protect the Earth, kick evil alien butt, and save the day with hairspray and rock and roll - not necessarily in that order, and ALIEN TANGO, in which anti-alien conspiracies, threats from outer space, and a couple of killer alligators are all in a day’s work, but internal alien conspiracies bring a new meaning to the term chaos and confusion, to Sheila Gilbert at Daw, in a nice deal, for publication in 2009 and 2010, by Cherry Weiner at Cherry Weiner Literary Agency (world).

De Lint was writing Urban Fantasy before it was even a genre. I’m sure lots of skiffy people just peed on themselves a little.
BLUE GIRL and LITTLE (GRRL) LOST author Charles de Lint’s untitled novel, to Sharyn November at Firebird, in a very nice deal, for publication in 2010, by Russell Galen at Scovil Chichak Galen Literary Agency (NA).

I think we’re going to see a lot more historical-with-the-fantastic books after Libba Bray’s success. Works for me.
Author of THE SWAN MAIDEN and the forthcoming AURELIE Heather Tomlinson’s TOADS AND DIAMONDS, a retelling of the Perrault tale set in pre-colonial India, in which two sisters receive gifts from a goddess and each walks her own path to find her gift’s purpose, finding romance along the way, again to Reka Simonsen at Holt, by Erin Murphy of Erin Murphy Literary Agency (world).

This just sounds…gross? I can’t fathom a zombie high school. It would stink. Literally.
Stacey Jay’s BOY EATS GIRL, in which a high school freshman falls from the top of her cheer pyramid to her death, and wakes up right where she left off — even though she’s now part of the “death challenged” or more commonly known as the zombie — and is the newest kid at DEAD high, a school for zombies where danger of the brain-eating variety lurks behind every corner, to Andrew Karre at Flux, by Caren Johnson at Caren Johnson Literary Agency.