Sourcebooks Casablanca Romance Authors

OK, seriously this is the most awesome day! Yes, I am celebrating the launch of my latest novel - and that alone is super - but to be with my Casablanca Sisters again is FANTASTIC!! Some of you are new and may not remember me. Sharon Lathan here and even though I bid the blog adieu a year ago now to focus on my new group blog Austen Authors , once a Casa Babe always a Casa Babe! I joined this amazing fellowship of Sourcebooks published romance novelists way back in the autumn of 2008. I wasn’t one of the original group but close to it. Terry, Linda, Marie Force, Loucinda McGary, Mary Margaret, Amelia, Cheryl, and Robin welcomed me with virtual open arms. Judi joined the merry band at the same time as me, remember Judi? It was my first experience with a group blog and as part of a fellowship of authors. I could go on and on recounting the fun we had and sharing how difficult it was for me to say good-bye. All of that can be read by searching through the archives.  Today I am not h...

One day in July 2008 I walked into the lobby of the Marriott in San Francisco and encountered something terrifying. Hitting me like a shockwave was the cacophony of hundreds of voices coming from the hundreds of women gathered in one place to celebrate the romance novel. It was the Romance Writers of America National Conference and this non-RWA member was in town to meet her publicist and editor for the first time. My debut novel was scheduled for release some eight months in the future and up to that moment I had never spoken with another author let alone actually met one. I was absolutely terrified. By the end of the next day I not only had met my editor and publicist, the amazing Deb Werksman and Danielle Jackson respectively, but also my publisher Dominique Raccah - that being a breathtaking surprise I never anticipated. Adding to the surprises in store for me was the wonder of community among romance novelists (I joined the RWA immediately upon returning home), the feeling of be...

Two guys walked into a bar , no wait, it’s a priest and a rabbi entered a bar , um, no that’s a cop and a monkey are in a car and the monkey says, um… OK, I can’t remember jokes for the life of me. Five minutes after the punch line I would be hard pressed to retell the joke to someone else, and if I did remember how it went I would not be able to deliver it right. Guess I am just not a funny gal. Sarcastic, yes, and witty at times, but not funny. Some people are born with the gift. My sister’s second husband could have made millions as a stand up comedian. He was, hand’s down, the funniest person I have ever known. Watching a B-movie with him was a hysterical experience! He had the gift. His son, my nephew, inherited that gift and is almost as funny as his dad. One thing I learned hanging around with the jokesters of our family is not only will you have a great time, but everyone becomes funny! It is like the funny-aura oozes out and infects those surrounding until we are all bursting...

Let’s start with a heartfelt, very loud, “Whew!” That is how I felt after my first solo book signing this past Saturday. I was also strangely exhausted and my jaws hurt from continuous smiling and talking. But it was all good. Really! No complaints are intended as it was loads of fun and very successful. But let me just say I am glad I am not expected to do this every weekend! So far in my 10 months of being a published author I have been a part of four signings. The first two were while in Washington at the RWA convention and I was in a room with lots of other authors and lines of ecstatic ladies dying to get their hands on free books, in some cases no matter who the author was! My third was a group signing in Sacramento with several romance novelists – including our own Loucinda McGary – and a few other fiction and non-fiction writers. In each of these cases I was among friends, surrounded by other authors to socialize with, and in a setting where people knew what was happening. Ther...

Yes indeed! The third novel in my Darcy Saga series published by Sourcebooks is now available! Whoo Hoo!! This makes 3 releases in 10 months – talk about crazy! But Oh So Much Fun! And all along I have been able to share the joy with my fellow CasaBabes and our loyal fans. What a tremendous honor. My author’s copies arrived and the shouts of joy were surely heard several houses away. Here I am holding my newest baby. Ah, how sweet! Truly, there is nothing quite like seeing the completely finished product for the first time. I love this photo of all three of them together. Absolutely stunning! My Dearest Mr. Darcy follows immediately in line with Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Loving Mr. Darcy . These three books leisurely cover one year of marriage for Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy of Jane Austen’s “Pride & Prejudice.” The novels are meant to be read in sequence, as a series, so no matter how intriguing this one may sound to you, I urge you to read the first one instead. T...

by Sharon Lathan I had several ideas of what I was going to blog about this time around, but before I could decide on one and begin writing they were pushed out of my mind. The reason is a tragic one: My mom lost a nearly 20-year battle with numerous illnesses this past Friday. Some of you may recall that we almost lost our mom in July, prompting my entire family to drive 18 hours to New Mexico from our home base in California. My brother and his family did the same, coming from Florida. By God’s divine grace and mercy, mom fought off death once again. It gave us a chance to spend time with her in a positive atmosphere. We all knew it was more than likely our last visit, but anyone who has lost a loved one knows that even after a long illness, it is still a shock. So, I hope I am forgiven for not writing a humorous or enlightening essay. Instead, please allow me to dedicate this column to the woman who raised me, most of the time single-handedly. She was beautiful, loving, cheerful, br...

Just twelve days ago I was here celebrating the release of my second book – Loving Mr. Darcy: Journeys Beyond Pemberley . At the time I was up to my eyeballs in blogging appointments all over the web, loving the fun interaction and chance to chat with old and new readers, and feeling the rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins. I am a multi-published author!! Sorry, just had to shout it out one more time. Now, a mere 12 days later, the blog appointments are nearly over. Today I am double-timing it between my normally scheduled day with the CasaBabes and our faithful readers, and A Bibliophile’s Bookshelf – where I am chatting about my secondary characters, so come on over to comment and maybe win copies of my books! On Friday my final blog tour engagement will be at A Lovestruck Novice with an interview. Whew! I am definitely happy to see the light at the end of the very successful touring tunnel. And also happy to report that the adrenaline is steadily at therapeutic levels! M...

All together now: AWESOME! Yep indeedy, the day has finally arrived. That date we authors circle on the calendar in bright red felt-ink months in advance. Then we watch it c-r-e-e-e-e-e-p Oh-so gradually until … BAM! … We are hit with guest blogs, interviews, reviews, more guest blogs, launch parties, book signings, and a dozen more guest blogs until our head explodes! Yet none of the craziness takes away from the joy of seeing your book on a shelf and hearing from fans when they get their pre-orders. My author’s copies arrived yesterday - *insert hysterical screaming and giddy dancing here* - and the emails started the day before: “I got my copy today from Barnes & Noble in Clifton, NJ. They had to go get it from the back because they hadn't unpa cked it yet! Will start reading it tonight!” “It is already on the shelves in 2 Barnes & Nobles in Cincinnati!” “My book arrived today. It looks fabulous!!” “My copy has arrived - and is gorgeous!!” “Saw it at B&N at Por...

On September 1 my second novel will be officially released! Loving Mr. Darcy: Journeys Beyond Pemberley continues on where the first novel – Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One – ended. And, in just 4 months the third book in the series will be out. What a year this has been! My head is spinning and I can’t quite wrap my mind around the fact that I am now a multi-published author. Surreal. I am very excited about this book and where I have taken the Darcys. It is a larger novel than the first, both in page number and content. The Darcys travel all over England, socialize with dozens of friends, deal with trials, and explore historical places, all while growing deeper in their love and anticipating the birth of their first child. Look for both novels at major bookstores and online sellers. It will be in Target (along with my first novel that is still there) in October. Naturally you can click over to my website to learn more of the specifics, read excerpts and reviews...

by Sharon Lathan Studying a past place or era is a challenge to be sure, but also lots of fun. One has to immerse into the atmosphere as much as possible. Luckily for those of us who write in the Regency – that 9 year span of time encompassed by the far longer Georgian Era – we have hundreds of website resources to help us get it right. Everything from the clothing to the language to the lifestyle to the places and more can be found somewhere if you dig far enough. My newest novel, Loving Mr. Darcy: Journeys Beyond Pemberley , does as the subtitle implies; that is, takes the reader away from the confines of their honeymoon country Manor house to the broader world of England. My first chore was to tackle learning about London of the day. May sound tough, but it really wasn’t. This city – simply called “Town” - was the European hub for the Industrial Revolution. She was a city on the move, and because of that and so many other realities, life in Town was thrilling. And it was wonder...

by Sharon Lathan Moms must be on the brain these days. I know that I have been thinking constantly about mine. Primarily that is because she has been so ill lately, prompting our entire family to travel from far away reaches of the US to converge on where she lives. The spontaneous family reunion was wonderful for many reason, but mostly because it focused on my mom. I could write an entire book on my mother. Almost all of it good! Seriously, she is a wonderful person who has been a guiding force in my life. She is a good woman who often single-handedly raised us kids, has always shown us love and support no matter what we do, displays strength and humor through the trials of life, and is immeasurably proud of her family. Yet my mom and I are very different in many of our beliefs. We have journeyed down dissimilar pathways. And I do not always agree with her. But these trivialities do not matter. Or rather, the fact that we are unalike in many respects augments my love and appreciation...

The day before I flew off to DC for the RWA National Conference, our wonderful and adorable publicist Danielle Jackson sent me the preliminary list of websites that have agreed to host me for blogs or interviews as part of the “Loving Mr. Darcy: Journeys Beyond Pemberley” launch. The official date of release is September 1, but as we all know, the blog blitz virtual tour begins several weeks prior! I thanked Danielle, but also told her that, all things considered, I refused to more than glance at the list until after the conference and family vacations were over! Well, the time has come and I can no longer find excuses to procrastinate. Well, I could – LOL – but I shall attempt to be a responsible, good little author and start writing my blogs ASAP so I shan’t be doing what I am doing at this very second, i.e. writing my essay some six hours before it is due to post! Ha!! I have thought a great deal on the themes for the bulk of my blogs when “Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy” was rele...