Sourcebooks Casablanca Romance Authors

From my Wilde & Woolly Bears house to yours, Happy New Year's Eve! It's been a great year for writing and publishing what with Heart of the Wolf making Publishers Weekly's "BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR" and the beautiful cover for Destiny of the Wolf, (formerly Don't Cry Wolf ) coming out Mar 1, 2009. The Bite of the Wolf replaces the title Betrayal of the Wolf, and that and another, titled for now, Allure of the Wolf, will both be coming out in the Fall of 2009. I'm currently working on Plight of the Wolf and Night of the Wolf, and a fan has already listed both on their Listmania at Amazon picked up from a blog I must have done--which means someone actually reads some of my blogs!!! So that was really nice. :) Even though I know the titles will change. I've got to have a working title to work with or nothing will form on the page! :) The bad news is that my mother has been very ill and I had to sell my home and move in with her. She's now

Are you partying or staying in? And if you’re staying in with your honey and a bottle of champagne, what about cuddling up for some movies that have New Year’s Eve in them? Some make you laugh. Some make you cry. And all are perfect for that New Year's moment. Think An Affair to Remember when Deborah Kerr meets Cary Grant on shipboard and they plan to meet at the top of the Empire State Building on New Year’s Eve. Except something happens and their meeting is delayed. Definitely one when you want to clear your tear ducts. Or Cary Grant in Holiday when he’s engaged to one woman on New Year’s Eve and realizes she’s the wrong one. The fun When Harry Met Sally with a terrific New Year's Eve scene, and a fun plot. Who can forget Meg Ryan showing just how to fake an orgasm? Another cute movie is Holiday Affair with Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh that begins just before Christmas and ends New Year’s Eve when the young widow realizes Mitchum is the man for her. Bridget Jones Diary when

I was trying to come up with something writing related, or story related, but honestly, I'm doing revisions, so I'm kind of writing-ed out. Then I saw Beth's post and thought, "What a good idea," and went with it because the Hubs came through this year in a major way. Oh, don't get me wrong, he always goes for thoughtful gifts, but this year, he chose thoughtful + practical (and, yes, way more expensive than the budget called for, but sometimes you just have to go with it). Words can't do it justice and I'm worded out any way, so here's the picture: It has 36 airbags, 12 different massages, and even massages the bottom of your feet--and with synchronized musical massage if you so choose. The only bad part is, it hasn't arrived yet, so I'm suffering through revisions without a proper massage. I know, poor me. LOL. The thing about this chair is, yes, it's nice. Yes, it's indulgent. But what many of you might not know is that I w

Seasons greetings everyone! I hope you all had a good Christmas, full of lots of relaxing time to read a good book, to make memories with family, and to eat plenty of good food. I'm creating this blog post with one of my Christmas presents, voice recognition software. I had a couple of expensive items on my Christmas list this year (an e-book rea der and this voice recognition software), and I could've told you which one my husband would pick to give me. When I explained what I wanted and why I wanted them to my husband, I could almost see the wheels turning in his head. "An e-book reader would mean she will spend more time reading books, while voice recognition software would mean faster production of books and more income," I'm sure he thought. I'm guessing for him it was an easy choice which to give me. I'm not complaining though. I wouldn't have put the software on my list if I didn't want it, and I do have several pressing deadlines this year.

Seems rather ridiculous to think of what occurred just two days ago as a ‘memory’ but like it or not the Event is over. Already the weeks of preparation, planning, and purchasing have been swept away with the torn wrapping paper and mealtime remnants. This year’s Christmas day is rapidly being relegated to the data banks as a special happening that will quickly meld and mesh with all the previous Christmas days. I mean, who of you can readily distinguish one year from the next? Who can recall the precise gift list from 5 years ago? Or whether the meal was better in 1998? Until we dig out the photo albums, we probably aren’t going to remember many of the details – unless something dramatic happened, like the year my son choked on a Life Saver and I had to do the Heimlich! So, while it is fresh in our minds, let’s chat about Christmas of 2008! What made this year special? For the Lathans it largely proceeded like previous years….. We never get snow here in the central valley of Cal

Happy Day-After-Christmas. The wrapping was torn from the presents without care in hope that an (iPod) inside would be there. (Insert tech gadget here.) Isn't it so fun to get what you want for Christmas? It's even better to get the life you want, all year around. Wanna hear the good news? It's *not* just the day after Christmas; it's the beginning of Reflection Week. This is how it works. You start thinking about all the things that really rocked in '08 in your life. As they say, you can't know where you're going if you don't know where you've been. When I started the ATHENA Institute in '06, I started facilitating workshops in five life areas - so that's a nice starting point for reflection. Grab a notebook and do a list of whatever comes to mind in these areas: Body, Mind/Spirit, Home, Work, Relationships. For example, under Body, I'd list that I started working out in October, and did a fairly good job of cutting out fast food.

The Casa Babes are taking the day off to spend the holiday with their REAL families, so here we give you some Christmas cheer, Casa style. Enjoy! We'll be back on Friday. Linda Wisdom 1. What are you asking for from Santa? A Kindle, bath and body goodies and clothes. 2. What is the best gift you have given someone else either this year or in years past? Last year I gave my editor and agent their very own Fluff and Puff slippers. So far their toes have been safe! Marie Force 1. What are you asking for from Santa? A new purse! My DH has been slowing improving my previously sadly lacking purse collection. Looking forward to seeing what this year brings. 2. What is the best gift you have given someone else either this year or in years past? My favorite gift I ever gave anyone was the year I got the DH the sewing machine he'd been wanting for years. I giggled all the way out of Sears with it and he went nuts over it. He considers it a, ahem, power tool. You go girl! Loucinda McGary

Every year, when Christmas Eve finally arrives, I sit back and think, I love this day . Christmas is wonderful, but the day itself is always gone in a flash of brightly colored frenzy, leaving both children and adults semi-catatonic by noon. Christmas Eve, though...that's where the magic is, at least for me. And that's why this day, not tomorrow, is my favorite day of the year. The stockings hang over the fireplace, ready to be filled. The tree glows gently, every beautiful present still wrapped beneath it. For once, the children are anxious to get to bed (but not before they've made sure, via NORAD's Santa Tracker, that the man himself is definitely on his way). The promise of Christmas is everywhere, the bayberry-scented air thick with it. It's finally here. Well, almost. But it's the anticipation, as we romance writers know well, that final instant before the thing we've been waiting for, that's really the most poignant...and often, the most fun. The

It's been an interesting Christmas season so far. My cards are going out late, people who've gotten presents from me in the past will find their stockings empty, and those gifts that I have bought aren't wrapped yet. Why? Not due to a lack of funds, but because nearly all of my spare time has been swallowed up by this crazy second job I've gotten myself into. However, in spite of the madness, some really cool things have happened. I received my very first Christmas card from a reader. Not an email, mind you, but a real card! She had won a copy of Warrior in a contest, and then utilized that return address label after I shipped it to her. This is something that I know I'll keep in my memorabilia box for a long, long time. In other news, Rogue has a dynamite new cover, and Lover now has a new title, Outcast , which I like very much. I've also started a new blog, which, though tons of fun, is also very time consuming. On a slightly bizarre note, Slave has been

No post today about what you should be doing--enjoy the holiday season! But don't think I won't have info to tell you in the New Year! :-) 2009 is going to be a big year for Sourcebooks, which means being more aggressive and thinking even further outside the box... I'm excited to get started on the Spring season! Hugs to all, Danielle

By Robin Kaye Most of my family traditions revolve around food. I know, it's not surprising to you who have come to know me. I thought I'd share two of my favorite holiday recipes.   Hot Buttered Rum Mix 1 pint vanilla bean ice cream 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup butter 1/4 teaspoon lemon peel 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon allspice Beat mixture until smooth. This can be kept frozen to use whenever you want. To make a cup, take two heaping tablespoons of the mixture, add once ounce dark or light rum and approximately 1/2 cup boiling water. Stir and serve with a cinnamon stick or candy cane. The second recipie is for something my grandmother used to call pingulata. I've heard it called Struffoli or Honey Balls elsewhere. This is an incredible dessert only made at Christmas time. It's small balls of fried dough covered with honey and sprinkles. It's decedent. I remember the few years I lived away from my Sicilian grandparents, my Nana would send a box with oranges, gr

By Christina Harlin Continued from December 4, 2008 There was the briefest moment of hesitation from her and then she sighed and melted against him, her slim pale arms winding around his neck and her lips parting beneath his. Blake, who had half-expected her to withdraw and slap him, or teleport him to another awkward scenario, hauled her into a deep and penetrating kiss. He could drown in the sweet golden smell of her, the long languorous stroking of her mouth against his. His hands molded to her back, feeling the tawny smooth skin beneath the very thin film of her golden gown, then stroked up her bare shoulders to wind into the heavy silk of her hair. Her tongue beckoned his to penetrate deeper into her mouth, and she arched her back so that her body— Then someone turned a page. Dimly he recalled that they were standing in the room with his ex-fiancée, who was waiting on her husband. Holly heard it to, because abruptly she pulled back, disentangling herself from him with an “Oh

As we go into this holiday season, there's uncertainty in the air. Will some of our favorite retailers still be around in the new year? What about our own jobs and those of our loved ones? Will our savings accounts ever recover from the beating they've taken this fall? I believe we're in the midst of a cultural revolution, and no one knows what's going to happen next. That's scary, but it's also exciting. Each one of us has an enormous amount of power to SAY how the future's going to go, because when it's all up for grabs, people who forge ahead with vision and excitement stand out and opportunities abound. Here at Sourcebooks, we're seeing an enormous amount of opportunity--to increase our market share, to work with talented people, and to think differently about how the book industry and marketplace can and should function. We're particularly excited about the opportunities in the romance category, and we're acquiring aggressively: *new

posted by Aunty Cindy aka Loucinda McGary That's what a former boss of mine used to say instead of Happy Birthday. Only within the last few years have I begun to appreciate the significance. Yes, today is my birthday, and no, I don't wanna talk about it, particularly my age, which really is older than dirt! And yes, it truly SUX to have your birthday the week before Christmas. First you have to wait ALL YEAR to get any presents, then they all come at once. Second, your birthday gets lost in the shuffle . Parties never come off because everyone is BUSY with the holidays. The weather is crappy (great rationalization to move to the Southern Hemisphere!) . Forget anything that's not Christmas themed. My mother was the only person who NEVER wrapped my birthday present in Christmas paper. Sometimes she had to use the comic section of the newspaper, but NEVER Christmas paper. Finally, DO NOT get me started on the people who try to pull the old "This is your birthday and C

Today is my wedding anniversary and also the 29th anniversary of the day I sold my first two books. Talk about a holiday season where I partied big time! My husband thought that meant he didn’t have to get me an anniversary gift, but I straightened him out on that real fast. That day I had just been to lunch with a client, and ironically even discussing my writing and he’d wished me good luck and hoped the books would sell. I returned to my office where not long after my agent called to let me know that a new romance line, Silhouette Romance, wanted to buy my books. I think the whole building heard me. I started writing full time the following February when my boss fired me for selling the books. But trust me, she received payback in a way I couldn’t have even conceived. So karma does work! So much has happened over the years and I’ve always been thankful that I could write the stories that live in my head and bring the characters to life. Some readers have turned into very good friend

Suppertime on Topsail Island A favorite painting of a favorite time of day. Rafts and sand chairs are stacked for the night. Up and down the beach hamburgers are grilling and tomatoes are being sliced. The noon's heat is past. The snapping breeze dies to soft puffs that send aromas of hamburger grilling and tomatoes being sliced, while the last of the daylight slips off behind the cottages. Wishing you pleasant hours, peace, and the smell of good food cooking. Happy Holidays, everyone. Thanks for a wonderful year, Mary Margret

God bless the master of this house The mistress also, And all the little children That round the table go. Old English Christmas rhyme. Just for fun, I thought I would take you back in time for a glimpse at Christmas in Regency England. These notes are taken from Victorie Count De Soligny LETTERS ON ENGLAND and represent Christmas in London in 1817. The Count tells us that the arrival of Christmas day is announced by sprigs of evergreens such as laurel, bay, ilex, holly all over the house. Holly is stuck in the windows and over the mantelpieces, and wreaths of them hung against the walls. And in the kitchen, or the servants' hall, a large bunch of mistletoe is suspended from the ceiling, underneath which the maidens are liable to be kissed, if they are caught by the male part of the household. (At our house, we hang mistletoe in our hallway, and there is much kissing as people enter the house.) Parties and visiting occurred among in every class of life. On Christmas day gathe

Okay, Don't Cry Wolf miracously transformed from a orange hues book cover into a cool blue Destiny of the Wolf . Like it? I LOVE it. What about you? I'd say the destiny of the wolves has got to be assured, if all the guys have abs like these. Sigh. :) Destiny of the Wolf is coming March 1st!! :) All she wants is the truth… Lelandi Wildhaven is determined to discover the truth about her beloved sister’s mysterious death. But everyone thinks she’s out to make a bid for her sister’s widowed mate… He’s a pack leader tormented by memories... Darien Silver blames himself for his mate’s death. When her twin arrives in his town, he finds himself bewitched, and when someone attempts to silence her, he realizes that protecting the beautiful stranger might be the only way to protect his pack… and himself… Praise for Terry Spear’s Heart of the Wolf: “The vulpine couple’s chemistry crackles off the page.” —Publisher’s Weekly “Centers on pack problems in a refreshingly straightforward way

By: Marie Force This is the story of a tuna can. On a cold winter day in 1972, a first grade girl took a tuna can to school for an art project. She cut out parts and pieces of old Christmas cards and glued them to the can. When her masterpiece was finished, she affixed ribbon to it, and a Christmas tree ornament was born. She took it home and proudly presented it to her mother, who oohed and ahhed and said all the right things—and then promptly relegated the masterpiece to the BACK of the tree. Oh the INSULT! So the girl did the only thing a girl could do and moved it to the front where it belonged. Off she went to school. While she was gone, her mother did the unimaginable and RETURNED the tuna can to the BACK of the tree! And so it went, just about every Christmas season for the 32 years that followed. From front to back the sad little tuna can would travel in a battle of wills that was never discussed, acknowledged, or shared with anyone else. The girl grew up, got married, and move

’Tis the season… Winter is my favorite time of year. I know, I’m crazy. But I did elect to go to Penn State because it was snowing the day I went for a visit—April 29. (Well, okay. That was only one of the reasons, but still…) In the four years I was there, I never hated the snow. I was the first one out in the quad making a snowman or taking part in snow fights. Even with my (ridiculously) long driveway nowadays, I’d rather shovel it by hand then use the tractor. (Although, that is fun if the chains stay on.) People talk about the sense of isolation in the winter, with being closed in, but I love it. I turn on the fireplace (note to self: next house, have a wood-burning fireplace. Gas is nice, but it just doesn’t have the same effect.) and curl up on the sofa in my office with my laptop and wool blanket (from Mom’s trip to Ireland – thanks, Mom!) and tap away at the keyboard. I just discovered my local cable provider has a channel that is just a fireplace, complete with crackling, log

Greetings to all! As I write this post, I'm sipping on one of my favorite holiday drinks, a hot mug of wassail. What does wassail have to do with writing or books? Well...nothing really, except it is a tasty treat to enjoy on a cold day while you read the latest Casablanca release. :-) So here's the recipe so you can make your own wassail! Spiced Wassail 1 qt. cranberry juice 1 qt. apple cider 1 qt. strong tea 2 cups orange juice 3/4 lemon juice 1 cup sugar 3 sticks of cinnamon cloves Heat almost to boiling and let simmer several minutes to steep the flavor from the cinnamon and cloves. Serve hot. A nice side benefit of wassail is it is full of vitamin C, which is especially helpful in this season of colds! Cheers and happy reading! Beth Cornelison http://www.bethcornelison.com/

by Sharon Lathan In keeping with the holiday theme, I thought I would post part of the Christmas chapter from my novel, "Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy ~ Two Shall Become One." I did edit out quite a bit to keep it fairly manageable, but fear it is still rather long. I hope I have not exceeded the allotted limit! This is a taste of the Darcys first Christmas together. Enjoy! Lizzy did not rouse at the knock to their door but did at the hoarse rumble of Darcy’s voice, felt as well as heard through his chest where her head lay. She stretched and nestled closer to his side, his arms immediately tightening their grip. “Is it morning already?” she asked sleepily and yawned expansively. “I fear so.” He nudged her gently, rolling to his side with her in his embrace until he could see her face. “Happy Christmas, Mrs. Darcy,” he murmured with a tender kiss as he stroked her hair. “Hmmm … Happy Christmas, beloved. Must we rise straight away? Or do we have time to cuddle for a spell?”

Here we are - me in front of my big Mac, you in front of your tech tube, connecting again via the dub-dub-dub. Though the world wide web and e-mail have been around for me since 1993, I feel like this is my first e-Christmas. Sure, I've got real life plans here in the real world, but I'm gonna be straight up Midwest honest with you now: my e-life is much bigger and sexier than my real life. I know. Shocking, right? I mean, what's not to love about my toddler chasing the shih tzu around the house right now? Who doesn't appreciate that you get to work all day in black work-out pants and a cotton T? I don't have a lick of makeup on, and my hair is in a ponytail. My "real life" friends are either working or caring for their kiddos, or like me, both. But on the web? Ooh, baby. On the web, I can be superwoman 24/7. Author Malena always has her hair done, her makeup on, her smile stuck on her powdered face. (Sure, I'm tiny - on Facebook I'm a 1/2 inch squ