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

Dear Ms. Winstead Jones:

First off, the cover on this book is a bit deceiving.  The setting of the book is a fantasy historical world set in a made up kingdom (I always think of this kind of setting as middle earth but have also considered it to be medieval but does medieval imply some political structure?).  There are two romances told within this story and the two serve as a sort of foil for one another.

The main protagonists are General Merin, a high ranking official for the Emperor Jahn, and Belavalari Haythorne of the Turis.  Emporer Jahn has determined it is time for him to marry.  His advisors have compiled a list of six brides and one of them is Bela due to the fact that her family has recently come into a great source of wealth via mining.  Merin has a history with Bela and the Haythorne family and offers to go and fetch her.   The Turis are a fierce clan and is not likely to welcome a courier from the Emperor.  

When Merin arrives, he finds out that Bela had tricked him six years ago and married him via …

Other than Cynthia Eden’s story about the psychologist to the paranormal, my interest in the following books are fairly low:

Michelle Willingham’s THE WARRIOR’S TOUCH and HER WILD IRISH ROGUE, the next two MacEgan brothers’ medieval historical romances, again to Joanne Carr at Harlequin Mills & Boon, by Carolyn Grayson at Ashley Grayson Literary Agency.
Kimberly Stuart’s CANNON FALLS, The story of a down-on-her-luck opera diva who takes a teaching position at a midwest college, to Andrea Christian at Cook Communications, in a nice deal, in a three-book deal, by Chip MacGregor at MacGregor Literary.
Cynthia Eden’s TOUCHING THE DARKNESS, a psychologist whose patients are all supernatural creatures — lovelorn succubi, vampires with blood phobias and the occasional shifter with commitment issues — is pulled into a brutal murder investigation as a profiler, to Kate Duffy and Megan Records at Kensington Brava, in a nice deal, by Laura Bradford at Bradford Literary Agency (World).
Rita Herron’s DARK LORDS series, bringing three estranged brothers, anti-heroes, who must battle their own inner evil side, together to form a paranormal crime unit and fight demonic crimes, to Michelle Bidelspach at Grand …

She’s got a new book out next month which I haven’t yet read. I think I read some of her categories a long time back. She did write categories, didn’t she?
Prince of Magic author Linda Winstead Jones’s THE EMPEROR’S BRIDE, a new trilogy, to Wendy McCurdy at Berkley, by Richard Curtis of Richard Curtis Associates (NA).

I’ve never read or heard of Robin Miller. Why the name change? Does she write novels with sex under Miller and novels without under Caroll?
Robin Miller writing as Robin Caroll’s BAYOU CORRUPTION, involving rival reporters who agree to work together to solve an attempted murder and end up uncovering a gun smuggling ring, and love, to Krista Stroever at Steeple Hill Love Inspired, for publication in March 2008, by Kelly Mortimer of the Mortimer Literary Agency.

This could be really touching or very schmaltzy.
Television writer Robin Epstein’s GOD IS IN THE PANCAKES, the story of a 15-year old girl in the midst of an ethical dilemma: whether or not to help her favorite nursing home resident die, and how this affects her closest relationships, to Kate Harrison at Harcourt Children’s, by Talia Cohen at the Laura Dail Literary Agency (NA).

This was sold as …