Release Day! CLAIMED BY THE ROGUE + Giveaway

It’s Release Day for CLAIMED BY THE ROGUE, and this is a special-to-me day indeed for several reasons.

ClaimedByTheRogue_Cvr w Quote_300dpiFirst, CLAIMED BY THE ROGUE is my first single-title historical since I concluded my Men of Roxbury House trilogy in 2008.

Originally conceived as the sequel to my very first book, A ROGUE’S PLEASURE, originally published in 2000 by Berkley/Jove and now available as a digital book from Harlequin’s Carina Press.

CLAIMED BY THE ROGUE picks up six years later, in 1820. Lady Phoebe Tremont and (now) Captain Robert Bellamy finally have their opportunity at Happily Ever After. Only the course of true love rarely runs smoothly, not even in romance! The couple have several steep obstacles to surmount including a six year separation during which Robert was believed to have been drowned at sea.

rogue_276The book has a superbly beautiful cover thanks to the talented folks at Samhain Publishing. And gracing that cover is a phenomenally flattering quote from the insanely talented Anna Campbell.

Is it any wonder I feel like celebrating!?!

To that end, between today (3-4-14) and the end of the month (3-31-14), I will give away one e-book copy of my Victorian set romance,TEMPTING to everyone who purchases a copy of CLAIMED BY THE ROGUE anywhere online.

To receive your FREE copy, post your proof of purchase HERE, to THIS POST, and I will email you TEMPTING. (Offer limited to 1 book per individual).

It’s my way of saying thank you for all your support over the past 14 years–and almost 25 books. 🙂

TEMPTING_New Cvr_Pink Pearls_Final_12-9-11Huzzah to Happily Ever After!

Hope

 

 

A ROGUE’S PLEASURE Wins LASR Best Book Award!

Sometimes life is filled with delightful, seemingly random surprises. Coming into our second week of a new year, I’m happy to report that so far 2011 does not disappoint. This weekend I learned that A Rogue’s Pleasure, my Regency set historical romance debut reissued this summer with Carina Press, was up for a Best Book Award at Long and Short Reviews along with several other books, including those by some pretty powerhouse authors. How lovely!

Even lovelier, I logged online this morning to find that I’d won!

In lieu of lapsing into a full Sally Field (i.e., “You like me. You really like me!”) I’ll sign off now with heartfelt thanks to LASR and to all of you who took the time this weekend to share the love and vote for me. Without further “ado,” below is the lovely book trailer video created as part of my contest prize.

Hope

What a Lady, What a Night!

“What a lady, what a night…”

So the classic rock song goes and likewise so went last night’s launch of Lady Jane’s Salon, Manhattan’s first (and so far only) reading series devoted to romance fiction. The series, founded by Ron Hogan, Maya Rodale, Leanna Renee Hieber, and Moi benefits Share the Love, which reaches out to groups assisting women-in-transition build independent lives.

Hope chats with a guest during the meet-and-greet.
Hope chats with a guest during the meet-and-greet.

Forty or so attendees packed the elegant Victorian-inspired salon setting of Madame X in Tribeca. Distinguished guests included Carol Stacy, Publisher and Liz French, Managing Editor of Romantic Times BOOKReviews; Maria Lokken and Marisa O’Neill of Romance Novel TV; and Barbara Vey of PW’s uber popular blog, Beyond Her Book. Also on hand to clink glasses was Scandalous Women blogger, Elizabeth Kerri Mahon.

Foreground L-R: Bookseller and reviewer, Stacey Agdern and Barbara Vey, PW's Beyond Her Book.
Foreground L-R: Bookseller and reviewer, Stacey Agdern and Barbara Vey, PW

After a cocktail meet-and-greet, Ron took the stage as emcee to introduce Share the Love and Lady Jane co-founder, Maya Rodale. Maya spoke briefly and eloquently about her one-year-old organization’s mission to distribute gently-used romance novels to groups assisting women-in-transition, such as Women in Need (WIN), a domestic violence shelter located in Manhattan.

Guest author Andrea Pickens chats with the crowd.
Guest author Andrea Pickens chats with the crowd.

Award-winning author, Andrea Pickens got the party started by reading from The Scarlet Spy, the latest in her Regency-set historical series about a plucky group of young women trained as espionage agents. After a short break, during which Andrea and I signed our books, I read from Every Breath You Take…,my latest Harlequin contemporary release.

Books galores. The proceeds from all sales benefited Share The Love.
Books galores. The proceeds from all sales benefited Share The Love.

Last but not least, we made money for the cause as well as collected a cache of fabulous romance novels to be distributed to women working to achieve their own Happily Ever After beginnings. If that’s not sharing the love, I don’t know what is.

Next month’s Lady Jane’s Salon will take place on Monday, March 2nd, 7-9 PM at Madame X with romance authors Lauren Willig and Jenna Petersen as our guest readers. If you’re in Manhattan or passing through, I hope you’ll consider putting Lady Jane’s on your calendar.

Hope