Check Out My Guest Blog on Using Screenwriting Tricks in Your Novel!

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Apologies for the blogging hiatus, dear readers; one of my friends passed away a month ago, just before I went on a three-week roadtrip (during which I drove 4500 miles), and it has taken me awhile to get back into my regularly scheduled life. I will be active here again any day now -- but to tide you over, check out my guest post on the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood blog. I'm chatting with my fellow 2009 Golden Heart finalists about using screenwriting tricks to plot your novel -- please stop by and say hi!

We Interrupt This Blog To Temporarily Direct You Elsewhere

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Don't go away forever - this is still where it's happening (some days, when I'm not so busy living my hip writer life that I fail to blog). But, I'm blogging today over on the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood site, where I interviewed my fellow '09 Golden Heart finalist Cynthia Justlin on her new release HER OWN BEST ENEMY. It's romantic suspense, not historical, but I suppose we'll forgive it this time :) Check out the interview here - I'd love to hear your thoughts!

What I'm Reading: March 2011

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As usual, I'm not reading any historical romance at the moment. I'm too deep into edits for my current project, and I find that I can't read historicals when I need to maintain a grasp on my own voice. Instead, I've been reading more paranormal -- rather like the Regency's fascination with Gothic novels. I do find it rather interesting that works with fantastical elements appeared relatively soon after the development of the modern novel in the mid-1700s; for all that paranormal is such a huge trend right now, it's a good reminder that the paranormal boom/bust cycle has been going on for at least two centuries already. Take that, Edward Cullen! Anyway, here's what I've recently read and what I can't wait to get my hands on this month:

  • DREAMS OF A DARK WARRIOR by Kresley Cole. I have been salivating for this book since approximately two seconds after I finished her last book, and it didn't disappoint. The story was v. moving, the hero was dark and brooding (just how I like 'em), and the heroine was of a particularly kick-ass variety. I can't recommend this book, and the entire Immortals After Dark series, highly enough - if you haven't tried it already, you really must. However, I must warn you that you're going to want to read the next book as soon as you finish this one, and as it's not out for another year, you're welcome to join me in wailing and gnashing of teeth while awaiting it.
  • RAZIEL (THE FALLEN) by Kristina Douglas. I've been meaning to try Anne Stuart's historical books for ages, but as I mentioned before, I'm not reading historicals right now. But when I heard that she just started a new paranormal series using the name Kristina Douglas, I couldn't help myself. I generally enjoyed this book, but as usual with many series books, I get so excited by the story that is being set up for the sequel that I kind of forget to enjoy the one that I'm reading. Overall, though, it was a great 'debut' paranormal.
  • Six not-to-be-named Golden Heart entries. I signed up to judge this year, and as usual, I procrastinated. I'm done now, and while I didn't thoroughly enjoy every entry that I read, there were a couple that I'm still thinking about, which is a good sign. I can't wait to see who finals in the category I judged.

As for upcoming books, I have a whole shelf of books (well, multiple shelves of books) that I intend to read as soon as I finish my edits. More specifically, I've got titles by Tessa Dare, Courtney Milan, Delilah Marvelle, and a bunch of others on the historical side; with paranormals, I'm super psyched to read the latest from Addison Fox and the debut from Tamara Hogan (both of whom were fellow 2009 GH finalists).

What are you reading? Are there any great February or March releases that I need to add to my pile?