Bitchin' Blog Posts : RWA National - NYC 2011

RWA Photos & Overheard at RWA

by SB Sarah | July 05, 2011 | Tuesday at 3:07 am | 34 Comments

So now that the 4th of July is nearly over, and we’ve celebrated the independence of the US (and, if you’re me, bemoaned our lack of universal healthcare and the ridiculous shortness of maternity leave), it’s time to do something sexy LIKE OFFLOAD MY CAMERA. Ready for RWA pictures? Here we go!

Bookmarks!

I arrived home from ALA (Motto: 25,000 librarians can’t be wrong!) late Sunday, unpacked and repacked. And while I was packing, I got me a FedEx with.. book marks! Holy smoke, I have to make like an author and remember I had them in my purse. Did I remember? Ha. Sometimes. Maybe.

Breakfast!

Tuesday morning, my first appointment was with Jill Shalvis and HelenKay Dimon. We got coffee and donuts from a cart and ate in the middle of Times Square. Perfect New York breakfast. And my donut was HUGE (that’s not a euphemism).

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RITA Reader Challenge: Thank You

by SB Sarah | July 02, 2011 | Saturday at 3:43 am | 13 Comments

RITA®, and the RITA statuette are service marks of Romance Writers of America, Inc.I want to thank all the readers who submitted RITA® Reader Challenge, who pitched in at the last minute to help me post a review for nearly every nominated book. I have to say, I enjoyed having a knowledge of each of the nominees, and it made the awards more fun and exciting for me.

I also want to thank the Romance Writers of America, Inc., for granting permission for me to use the RITA® image and name (over and over and over and over and over again).

I’ll definitely do it again next year - and I’ll try not to post 10 reviews in a day next time! Thank you so much everyone for making this reviewapalooza so much fun!

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2011 RITA Winner for Contemporary Single Title Romance

by SB Sarah | July 02, 2011 | Saturday at 3:39 am | 2 Comments

RITA®, and the RITA statuette are service marks of Romance Writers of America, Inc.

Winner: Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis (Forever; Alex Logan, editor)

Finalists:

▪ And One Last Thing by Molly Harper (Gallery Books; Jennifer Heddle, editor) ▪ Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts (Berkley Trade; Leslie Gelbman, editor) ▪ Lead Me On by Victoria Dahl (HQN Books; Tara Parsons, editor) ▪ Not That Kind of Girl by Susan Donovan (St. Martin’s Press; Monique Patterson, editor) ▪ Nothing But Trouble by Rachel Gibson (Avon Books; Lucia Macro, editor) ▪ One Fine Cowboy by Joanne Kennedy (Sourcebooks Casablanca; Deb Werksman, editor) ▪ Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis (Forever; Alex Logan, editor) ▪ Still the One by Robin Wells (Forever; Selina McLemore, editor)

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2011 RITA Winner for Best First Book

by SB Sarah | July 02, 2011 | Saturday at 3:36 am | 5 Comments

RITA®, and the RITA statuette are service marks of Romance Writers of America, Inc.

Winner: Pieces of Sky by Kaki Warner (Berkley Sensation; Wendy McCurdy, editor)

Finalists:

▪ Enemy Within by Marcella Burnard (Berkley; Leis Pederson, editor) ▪ Firestorm by Kelly Ann Riley (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense; Tina James, editor) ▪ I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan (Scholastic; Cheryl Klein, editor) ▪ The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (Harlequin Teen; Natashya Wilson, editor) ▪ Pieces of Sky by Kaki Warner (Berkley Sensation; Wendy McCurdy, editor) ▪ The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells (Sourcebooks Fire; Deb Werksman, editor) ▪ A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer (Bethany House Publishers; Karen Schurrer, editor) ▪ Wanna Get Lucky? by Deborah Coonts (Tor/Forge; Bob Gleason, editor) ▪ When Harry Met Molly by Kieran Kramer (St. Martin’s Press; Jennifer Enderlin, editor)

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2011 RITA Winner for Paranormal Romance

by SB Sarah | July 02, 2011 | Saturday at 3:31 am | 4 Comments

RITA®, and the RITA statuette are service marks of Romance Writers of America, Inc.

Winner: Unchained: the Dark Forgotten by Sharon Ashwood (NAL/Signet Eclipse; Laura Cifelli, editor)

Finalists:

▪ Enemy Within by Marcella Burnard (Berkley; Leis Pederson, editor) ▪ A Highlander’s Homecoming by Melissa Mayhue (Pocket Books; Megan McKeever, editor) ▪ Immortal Sea by Virginia Kantra (Berkley Trade; Cindy Hwang, editor) ▪ Marked by the Moon by Lori Handeland (St. Martin’s Press; Jennifer Enderlin, editor) ▪ Rebel by Zoe Archer (Zebra Books; Megan Records, editor) ▪ Sins of the Heart by Eve Silver (HQN Books; Tara Parsons, editor) ▪ Unchained: the Dark Forgotten by Sharon Ashwood (NAL/Signet Eclipse; Laura Cifelli, editor) ▪ Water Bound by Christine Feehan (Jove; Cindy Hwang, editor)

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2011 RITA Winner for Romantic Suspense

by SB Sarah | July 02, 2011 | Saturday at 3:26 am | 1 Comments

RITA®, and the RITA statuette are service marks of Romance Writers of America, Inc.

Winner: Silent Scream by Karen Rose (Grand Central; Karen Kosztolnyik, editor)

Finalists:

▪ The Darkest Hour by Maya Banks (Berkley; Cindy Hwang, editor) ▪ Deadly Fear by Cynthia Eden (Forever; Alex Logan, editor) ▪ Edge of Sight by Roxanne St. Claire (Forever; Amy Pierpont, editor) ▪ Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb (G.P. Putnam’s Sons; Leslie Gelbman, editor) ▪ Kill Me Again by Maggie Shayne (MIRA; Leslie Wainger, editor) ▪ Love Me to Death by Allison Brennan (Ballantine Books; Charlotte Herscher & Kate Collins, editors) ▪ Silent Scream by Karen Rose (Grand Central; Karen Kosztolnyik, editor) ▪ Two Lethal Lies by Annie Solomon (Forever; Michele Bidelspach, editor)

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2011 RITA Winner for Romance Novella

by SB Sarah | July 02, 2011 | Saturday at 3:21 am | 1 Comments

RITA®, and the RITA statuette are service marks of Romance Writers of America, Inc.

Winner: “Shifting Sea” by Virginia Kantra in Burning Up (Berkley Sensation; Cindy Hwang, editor)

Finalists:

▪ “Blame It on the Blizzard” by Jennifer Greene in Baby, It’s Cold Outside (Harlequin; Marsha Zinberg, editor) ▪ “A Dundee Christmas” by Brenda Novak in That Christmas Feeling (Harlequin Superromance; Paula Eykelhof, editor) ▪ “Friendly Fire” by Jill Shalvis in Born on the 4th of July (Harlequin Blaze; Brenda Chin, editor) ▪ “Love Me to Death” by Maggie Shayne in Heart of Darkness (HQN Books; Leslie Wainger, editor) ▪ “Mistletoe Magic” by Sandra Hyatt in Under the Millionaire’s Mistletoe (Silhouette Desire; Krista Stroever, editor) ▪ “Mountain Rose” by Cheryl St. John in To Be a Mother (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical; Patience Smith, editor) ▪ “Shifting Sea” by Virginia Kantra in Burning Up (Berkley Sensation; Cindy Hwang, editor) ▪ “The Wrong Brother” by Maureen Child in Under the Millionaire’s Mistletoe (Silhouette Desire; Krista Stroever, editor)

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2011 RITA Winner for Novel With Strong Romantic Elements

by SB Sarah | July 02, 2011 | Saturday at 3:17 am | 0 Comments

RITA®, and the RITA statuette are service marks of Romance Writers of America, Inc.

Winner: Welcome to Harmony by Jodi Thomas (Berkley; Wendy McCurdy, editor)

Finalists:

▪ Blood Vines by Erica Spindler (St. Martin’s Press; Jennifer Weis, editor) ▪ The Dead Travel Fast by Deanna Raybourn (MIRA; Valerie Gray, editor) ▪ Killbox by Ann Aguirre (Ace Books; Anne Sowards, editor) ▪ On Folly Beach by Karen White (NAL Accent; Cindy Hwang, editor) ▪ The Search by Nora Roberts (G.P. Putnam’s Sons; Leslie Gelbman, editor) ▪ Stormwalker by Allyson James (Berkley Sensation; Kate Seaver, editor) ▪ Wanna Get Lucky? by Deborah Coonts (Tor/Forge; Bob Gleason, editor) ▪ Welcome to Harmony by Jodi Thomas (Berkley; Wendy McCurdy, editor)

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2011 RITA Winner for Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure

by SB Sarah | July 02, 2011 | Saturday at 3:12 am | 0 Comments

RITA®, and the RITA statuette are service marks of Romance Writers of America, Inc.

Winner: The Moon That Night by Helen Brenna (Harlequin Superromance; Johanna Raisanen, editor)

Finalists:

▪ The Baby’s Guardian by Delores Fossen (Harlequin Intrigue; Allison Lyons, editor) ▪ Case File: Canyon Creek, Wyoming by Paula Graves (Harlequin Intrigue; Allison Lyons, editor) ▪ To Catch a Killer by Kimberly Van Meter (Silhouette Romantic Suspense; Johanna Raisanen, editor) ▪ A Cop in Her Stocking by Ann Voss Peterson (Harlequin Intrigue; Allison Lyons, editor) ▪ Meltdown by Gail Barrett (Silhouette Romantic Suspense; Susan Litman, editor) ▪ The Moon That Night by Helen Brenna (Harlequin Superromance; Johanna Raisanen, editor) ▪ Perfect Partners? by C.J. Carmichael (Harlequin Superromance; Johanna Raisanen, editor) ▪ Renegade Angel by Kendra Leigh Castle (Harlequin Nocturne; Ann Leslie Tuttle, editor)

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2011 RITA Winner for Contemporary Series Romance

by SB Sarah | July 02, 2011 | Saturday at 3:08 am | 0 Comments

RITA®, and the RITA statuette are service marks of Romance Writers of America, Inc.

Winner: Welcome Home, Cowboy by Karen Templeton (Silhouette Special Edition; Gail Chasan, editor)

Finalists:

▪ Breaking the Sheikh’s Rules in the Summer Sheikhs anthology by Abby Green (Mills & Boon; Meg Lewis, editor) ▪ Christmas Magic on the Mountain by Melissa McClone (Harlequin Romance; Joanne Grant, editor) ▪ Christmas with Her Boss by Marion Lennox (Harlequin Romance; Sheila Hodgson, editor) ▪ Dare She Date the Dreamy Doc? by Sarah Morgan (Mills & Boon Medical Romance; Kimberley Young, editor) ▪ Red-Hot Renegade by Kelly Hunter (Mills & Boon Modern Heat; Joanne Grant, editor) ▪ An Unexpected Father by Lisa Ruff (Harlequin American Romance; Johanna Raisanen, editor) ▪ Welcome Home, Cowboy by Karen Templeton (Silhouette Special Edition; Gail Chasan, editor) ▪ Zoe and the Tormented Tycoon by Kate Hewitt (Harlequin Presents; Meg Lewis, editor)

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2011 RITA Winner for Young Adult Romance

by SB Sarah | July 02, 2011 | Saturday at 3:02 am | 1 Comments

RITA®, and the RITA statuette are service marks of Romance Writers of America, Inc.

Winner: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (Harlequin Teen; Natashya Wilson, editor)

Finalists:

▪ Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing; Annette Pollert, editor) ▪ The Clearing by Heather Davis (Houghton Mifflin Graphia; Julie Tibbott, editor) ▪ Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing; Karen Wojtyla, editor) ▪ I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan (Scholastic; Cheryl Klein, editor) ▪ The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (Harlequin Teen; Natashya Wilson, editor) ▪ Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles (Walker Publishing; Emily Easton, editor) ▪ The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells (Sourcebooks Fire; Deb Werksman)

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2011 RITA Winner for Inspirational Romance

by SB Sarah | July 02, 2011 | Saturday at 2:58 am | 0 Comments

RITA®, and the RITA statuette are service marks of Romance Writers of America, Inc.

Winner: In Harm’s Way by Irene Hannon (Revell; Jennifer Leep, editor)

Finalists:

▪ A Convenient Wife by Anna Schmidt (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical; Tina James, editor) ▪ Doctor in Petticoats by Mary Connealy (Barbour Publishing; Rebecca Germany, editor) ▪ Finding Her Way Home by Linda Goodnight (Steeple Hill Love Inspired; Allison Lyons, editor) ▪ In Harm’s Way by Irene Hannon (Revell; Jennifer Leep, editor) ▪ Maid to Match by Deeanne Gist (Bethany House Publishers; David Long and Julie Klassen, editors) ▪ Shades of Morning by Marlo M. Schalesky (WaterBrook Multnomah; Shannon Marchese, editor) ▪ The Wedding Garden by Linda Goodnight (Steeple Hill Love Inspired; Allison Lyons, editor) ▪ Whisper on the Wind by Maureen Lang (Tyndale House Publishers; Stephanie Broene, editor) ▪ Within My Heart by Tamera Alexander (Bethany House Publishers; Karen Schurrer and Charlene Patterson, editors)

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2011 RITA Winner for Historical Romance

by SB Sarah | July 02, 2011 | Saturday at 2:52 am | 5 Comments

RITA®, and the RITA statuette are service marks of Romance Writers of America, Inc.

Winner: His at Night by Sherry Thomas (Bantam Books; Caitlin Alexander, editor)

Finalists:

▪ Countess of Scandal by Laurel McKee (Forever; Alex Logan, editor) ▪ The Forbidden Rose by Joanne Bourne (Berkley Trade; Wendy McCurdy, editor) ▪ His at Night by Sherry Thomas (Bantam Books; Caitlin Alexander, editor) ▪ A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James (Avon Books; Carrie Feron, editor) ▪ Last Night’s Scandal by Loretta Chase (Avon; May Chen, editor) ▪ A Little Bit Wild by Victoria Dahl (Zebra Books; John Scognamiglio, editor) ▪ One Wicked Sin by Nicola Cornick (HQN Books; Kimberley Young, editor) ▪ Open Country by Kaki Warner (Berkley Trade; Wendy McCurdy, editor)

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2011 RITA Winner for Regency Historical Romance

by SB Sarah | July 02, 2011 | Saturday at 2:48 am | 6 Comments

RITA®, and the RITA statuette are service marks of Romance Writers of America, Inc.

Winner : The Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig (Dutton; Erika Imranyi, editor)

Finalists:

▪ His Christmas Pleasure by Cathy Maxwell (Avon Books; Lucia Macro, editor) ▪ The Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig (Dutton; Erika Imranyi, editor) ▪ Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean (Avon Books; Carrie Feron, editor) ▪ Provocative in Pearls by Madeline Hunter (Jove; Wendy McCurdy, editor) ▪ To Surrender to a Rogue by Cara Elliott (Forever; Frances Jalet-Miller, editor) ▪ Twice Tempted by a Rogue by Tessa Dare (Ballantine Books; Kate Collins, editor) ▪ When Harry Met Molly by Kieran Kramer (St. Martin’s Press; Jennifer Enderlin, editor) ▪ The Wicked Wyckerly by Patricia Rice (NAL/Signet; Ellen Edwards, editor)

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RITA Reader Challenge Roundup: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

by SB Sarah | June 30, 2011 | Thursday at 9:59 pm | 16 Comments

RITA®, and the RITA statuette are service marks of Romance Writers of America, Inc.There was not a review submitted for the RITA® Reader Challenge, so out we go for more reviews.

Book CoverPlot Summary: When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London’s Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa’s power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find… read more »

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