Sourcebooks Casablanca Romance Authors

from Mia Marlowe... We all hate it, don't we? Whether it's waiting in line at the grocery store or waiting to hear a loved one arrived someplace safely, waiting, to put it mildly, sucks. We crave instant gratification. We want it NOW! As I write this post, my DH and I are waiting to see if we have received an offer we can accept on on our condo in Boston. We have an appointment with our realtor at 5 this evening, so we don't have much longer to squirm, but believe me, we've already been waiting for quite some time. Some 30+ months ago, my DH said he wanted to figure out a way for him to retire early and for us to move back to the Midwest where most of our family lives. At the time, I didn't see how in the world we'd be able to accomplish that, but like a good little spousal unit, I didn't rain on his crazy parade. Turns out, he wasn't so crazy. He's a pretty smart guy, so it shouldn't have surprised me that he'd come up with a wor...

from Mia Marlowe... New York Times bestseller Connie Mason and I have been collaborating on a couple novels already this year--SINS OF THE HIGHLANDER and LORD OF FIRE AND ICE. Now we have a new release called LORD OF DEVIL ISLE ! It's a Georgian set story with plenty of steamy romance, smuggling and a major Revolutionary War incident rolled into the mix. Here's a short excerpt:   Lord of Devil Isle Nicholas reached over to brush an errant lock of hair from Eve’s cheek, but she shied like a whipped pup. “Easy, lass,” he said, as he tucked the strand behind her ear. Her cheek was soft, but lightly grained with salt from her time in the sea. “Check your bearings. You’re safe now.” Nicholas opened his sea trunk and pulled out a dry shirt. He thought about offering her one, but she’d been given an opportunity to find dry clothes and dismissed it. Besides, she was now thoroughly engulfed in his heavy oilskin coat. Pity. He’d have enjoyed the show till the muslin dr...

from Mia Marlowe ... I've heard it said that radio dramas were "theatre of the mind." Listening to radio stories wasn't a passive activity in the way movies or stage plays are. The story didn't merely wash over you. It was an active sort of entertainment. Listeners had to populate their mental stages with all the characters and action they could only hear. They had to build the settings and put the characters in motion in a world they alone could see. Radio dramas were good mental exercise, but IMO, books are what really provide this experience. With only ink on a page, readers have to collaborate with the author to populate the story with flesh and blood characters, to build a whole world filled with sights, sounds, smells and textures. But what happens when the world is so different from what a reader is used to? One of my intrepid Dutch readers had no trouble imagining Brandr, my hot, fire mage hero. Of course, the wonderful cover helps there. But s...

from Mia Marlowe ... I'm so excited to share that LORD OF FIRE AND ICE , my 2nd collaborative novel with New York Times bestseller Connie Mason, is whisking its way to a bookseller near you. It'll hit the shelves July 3rd, just in time for a leisurely holiday read! The reviews have been fantastic: A vixen and a Viking warrior match wits and kisses "The story is compelling with a rich narrative, strong characters and non-stop action. This is a tale of greed, revenge, justice and desire. Readers will enjoy a feisty, confident heroine and the courageous hero who willingly stands at her side through the good and the bad." ~ RTBOOKReviews Connie and I are delighted to bring you this cross-over tale. We've mixed a healthy dollop of magic in with this historical romance. Our hero Brandr is a fire mage. He can call flames from the air and control the element with a thought. But the real heat starts when he's enslaved by Katla the Black, a widow with reve...

Update: The winner of Mia Marlowe's random drawing is Carrie! Please contact Mia through her website with your snailmail so she can mail out your prize. If you didn't win, don't despair. Mia has a contest at MiaMarlowe.com that will end June 26th. The prize for that contest is a Ready for the Beach Box of Books! Our theme for the month is fascinating women. Since my Casablanca debut ( Sins of the Highlander , January 2012) is set in 16th century Scotland, I've had great fun researching this setting and time period. In my digging, I've discovered some intriguing things about Mary, Queen of Scots. I always knew she was Elizabeth I's cousin and that she met her end on the chopping block, but I didn't know much about her life. It was like a medieval soap opera, with ill-considered marriages at the heart of her downfall. Made me think Elizabeth was wise to remain the Virgin Queen. When she was five years old, Mary Stuart was sent to France to avoid a forced mar...

The May theme for the Casababes has been hope. I'd like to introduce you to a little fellow who exemplifies it. This is Harry, the newest member of our family. My niece found him in the middle of an Ozark woods, tied to a tree without food or water. He'd been abandoned to die, tied so he couldn't find his way back to whoever left him. Sounds hopeless, doesn't it? But my sister and her family took him in even though a ten pound dog wasn't really their first choice. When she told me they were getting a large breed puppy on Monday, I asked if she'd be willing to part with this little long-haired dachsund. It's been 18 months since I lost Susie, my beloved 17 year old poodle mix. Meeting Harry convinced me that I was ready for a new four-legged friend. Fortunately, my sister said I could have him. I'm thrilled to report that he and our rat terrier, Mack the Wonder Dog, get along famously. They even traveled well together all the way from Missouri to New Engl...

Update: Thanks so much to everyone who left a comment and made me feel so welcome here. My randomly chosen winner is--Lil! Please contact me through my website with your snailmail info so I can send you Lord of Devil Isle and Touch of a Thief. If you didn't win, don't despair. There's a contest on my website just for YOU! Hello! I'm Mia Marlowe , one of the newest Casablanca authors and half of a collaborative writing team. The other half is New York Times bestseller Connie Mason. Together we'll be bringing you adventurous historical romances starting with SINS OF THE HIGHLANDER next January. __________________________ The theme this month is treating ourselves and there's nothing I love better than travel. Well, almost nothing. Last November when my DH and I went to Amsterdam , I rediscovered a simple pleasure--a good long soak in a tub full of bubbles with a romance novel. While my DH went to meetings during the day, I hoofed it all over that fascinating ol...