Holiday Goodness Challenge

Times are tough, times are hard. Nobody’s denying it. Certainly not me.

In this tough–okay, scary–economy charities are taking the hit hardest of all. Charities with missions focused on our four-legged friends are taking a particularly painful hit.

In keeping with the holiday spirit of counting my many blessings, and celebrating the publication of Every Breath You Take…, my latest Harlequin Blaze release, I’d like to give ten of you a complimentary copy of Vanquished.

The first ten readers who make a donation of at least $10 to the ASPCA will receive a free signed copy of Vanquished, the first of my “Men of Roxbury House” trilogy. My wonderful publisher, Medallion Press is donating the books, and I’ll be covering the cost of shipping.

Founded in 1866, The “A” is the first humane organization not only in this country but in the Western Hemisphere. $100 will cover the rescue, shelter, feeding and care of a formerly stray, homeless, or rescued dog or cat for a month. That’s $10 from ten people–ten of you.

In addition to donating online, you can snail mail your check to:

The ASPCA, 424 East 92nd Street, New York, NY 10128-6804

For verification, I’ll need you to send me three things: 1) a photocopy of your donation receipt, 2) the name of the person to whom you’d like the book inscribed, and 3) an address label with your snail mail address to PO Box 1344, New York, NY 10276. Once we reach our $100 goal, I’ll post the glad tidyings here along with the first names, surname initial and home state of the ten generous souls who stepped up to the plate first.

My goal isn’t to save the world, or even the whole Companion Animal Kingdom, much as I’d love to do just that. But not being able to save everyone and everything shouldn’t be our collective excuse for saving no one and nothing. None of us can save the world, at least not all on our own. But each of us has the power, the goodness, resident within us to save our small corner of it.

Peace and Love, Purring and Fetching,

Hope

Congratulations, Contest Winners

Congratulations to Tracey T of Gassaway, WV, Karen H of Colorado Springs, CO, and Jessica P of Norman, OK who knew that in Every Breath You Take, Cole saw that the old Alex was still there from the glimmer in her eyes.

The three winners will each receive coverflat keepsakes for my Victorian-set historical, Untamed and TWO signed copies of Strokes at Midnight — my winter holiday Blaze — one for themselves and one inscribed to a person of the winner’s choosing, perfect for a sweet and easy holiday gift.

And if you didn’t win this time ’round, don’t despair. Check out my new contest, which just started yesterday.

Let the merry making begin…

Hope

Book Expo America 2008



Sometimes you don’t actually have to be in the limelight to um…be in the limelight.

This year’s Book Expo America took place in Los Angeles. BEA is the largest publishing trade fair in the country, comparable to the Frankfurt and London Book Fairs. BEA is a great way for an author to build buzz for her book by connecting with publishing professionals–distributors, reviewers from Publishers Weekly and the like, publisher sales reps, and the list goes on and on.

For several years, I’ve been a regular participant, signing my books in both the Expo’s in-booth and “ticketed” forums. For various reasons (hint: do you hear “deadline” bursting out of my thought bubble?) I wasn’t able to attend this year’s show.

Imagine my delight when folks who did go started emailing me notes and yes, photos of the large–and I mean huge–backlit poster for BOUND TO PLEASE fronting the entrance to the Harlequin booth alongside Linda Lael Miller’s latest. Who knew!

To add another shmeer of cream cheese to the bagel, my other wonderful publisher, Medallion Press, had complimentary copies of all three of my Men of Roxbury House books: Vanquished, Enslaved, and Untamed prominently displayed in its booth.

I may not have gotten to go to all the great parties or rub elbows with the publishing brass this year but in a way, I was there. My characters certainly were. Party animals all, I’m sure they had a fab time. 😉

Hope