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

Sure hope everyone’s not tired of urban fantasy yet, because there’s going to be a lot of it coming up in the next year or two.

Hannah Howell hits the lists with every release.
USA Today and NYT bestselling author Hannah Howell’s newest novel in her HIGHLAND series, as well as a new historical romance trilogy, to John Scognamiglio at Kensington, in a significant deal, for publication in June 2009, by Evan Marshall at the Evan Marshall Agency (World).

I have to admit that I’m not a big fan of the suffragette heroine, but the assassin hero won me back over.
Alissa Johnson’s MCALISTAIR’S FORTUNE, a Regency romance about an outspoken young woman working for women’s rights, and the silent and dangerous retired assassin charged with protecting her, to Leah Hultenschmidt at Dorchester, in a two-book deal, by Emmanuelle Alspaugh at Wendy Sherman Associates.

This doesn’t sound like the typical urban fantasy, but Heddle buys for Pocket’s UF line so it must be.
Laura Bynum’s VERACITY, a near-future allegory pitched as reminiscent of THE HANDMAID’S TALE and CHILDREN OF MEN, winner of the 2007 Robert Hughes Prize for best novel at the Maui Writers Conference, to Jennifer Heddle at Pocket, by Dan Conaway at Writers House (NA).

More urban fantasy, this one about a single mom. I like the concept.
Kelly Gay’s THE BETTER PART OF DARKNESS, the first in an urban fantasy series featuring a female cop, a single mom and demon hunter keeping the peace in downtown Atlanta after all hell - and heaven - breaks loose, to Ed Schlesinger at Pocket, in a two-book deal, by Colleen Lindsay at FinePrint Literary Management (world English).

Eh.
Author of the romantic comedy trilogy the Chameleon Chronicles Beth Ciotta’s OUT OF THE ORDINARY, about a woman whose constant laments that nothing ever happens in her small town prevent everyone — including the sheriff — from believing her when she claims to have witnessed two thugs stuffing a body in to the trunk of a car, and a second connected romance, to Keyren Gerlach at HQN, by Amy Moore-Benson of AMB Literary Management (world).

I’m guessing by the title that this will involve a restaurant of some sort.
Megan Hart and Lauren Dane’s NO RESERVATIONS, the to the upcoming Taking Care of Business, again to Adam Nevill at Black Lace Books, in a nice deal.

I kind of like this concept. I’m also starting to become convinced that Russell Galen doesn’t roll out of bed for less than a ‘very nice’ deal.
David Wellington’s FROSTBITE and sequel, a supernatural thriller about a woman who travels to the far north to seek revenge on the werewolf who killed her father, to Carrie Thornton at Three Rivers Press, in a very nice deal, for publication in 2009, by Russell Galen at Scovil Chichak Galen Literary Agency (NA; Danny Baror handles foreign rights).