Monday, October 30, 2006

iBOAS—you'll never guess what it stands for, but you may want to join when you find out!


Far left: Malle & her pet dog. Center: Tamara & Mary (Tamara with Crown). Right: Me.

First, the scene set. Yes, these are my colleagues. While we are all fascinating, and have unique and very different special powers, amazingly, we share certain reading tastes.

We realized when we started working together we shared a passion for a particular author and decided to form a Club. Please note that the author in question knows nothing of our plans. We decided we needed a name. We needed presence. It all came together.

We are the imaginary Buddies Of Anne Stuart. iBOAS. Please note the thematically linked and color coordinated boas! I assure you a feather boa is completely appropriate attire for any Buddy, imaginary or not, associated with Anne Stuart. We are here to alert you that she has a new book coming out in NOVEMBER, you can check out the fabulous Publishers Weekly review below. We also wanted to share some of our thoughts.

Anne Stuart's previous title (there is a connection to this one) Black Ice got a starred review in PW and Cold as Ice got an excellent review from Publishers Weekly.

Early (or whatever whenever you read this) breaking news: Cold as Ice will be #33 on the November 12th, 2006 New York Times Bestseller list! and #77 on the USA Today Bestseller List (also on the list are Nora Roberts' Silhouette First Impressions @ #10 in hardcover, and Dream Makers @ #9 in paperback, Debbie Macomber's MIRA, Christmas Letters, @ #20 in hardcover and Glad Tidings in paperback @ #5, Diana Palmer's HQN hardcover Heart of Winter and Sharon Sala's Nine Lives @ #24--iBOAS are equitable about sharing information. We just adore Anne Stuart.)

Tamara: "Anne Stuart gave me a gift in the form of a special paradox: She created bad boys that I loved, who also made me glad to be married to such a good soul. I can escape into the world of Black Ice, and Cold as Ice whenever I choose and snap back to reality in a heartbeat.

"As someone I know once said, I can enjoy exploring that world and lose myself 'between the covers, not between the sheets.'"

Mary has these thoughts to add...
How Anne Stuart has changed my life:
"Ever had one of those weeks where you're just not sure you can make it through? I was having one when I realized that the new Anne Stuart would be available in time for the weekend. I remember that it was this ray of sunshine in the distance, knowing that maybe, just maybe, if I made it through the week I would be rewarded with a Saturday devoted to reading a great story.

"OK. I'll be honest, half a Saturday because I just tear through her books. Anyway, thank you Anne. You made living through that tough week worthwhile.

How much I enjoyed Black Ice:
"I must confess that I re-read Black Ice. The confession is not that I re-read it because I re-read a lot of my favorite books. My confession is that I read it first on Saturday and then again on Sunday. And I totally loved it both times.

"I loved Cold As Ice because after I read Black Ice I told someone that Peter Jensen would be a great hero for the next book. She explained to me why this wouldn't be possible. In fact she told me... "Didn't you notice? He's gay. He couldn't possibly be a romantic hero...or at least not for you.' I went back to the text and thought...Well, I guess she's right.

"But I should have trusted that Anne Stuart, the queen of the baddest of the bad boys, would be able to make Peter Jensen a romantic hero for me. I don't know how she'll top Cold As Ice but I can hardly wait to see."

Isabel said,"Years ago, when I found myself sneaking into the Harlequin side of the New York office to 'borrow' all the Anne Stuart titles, I knew I had discovered a special author. An author worth stealing—excuse me—borrowing (at least until the titles were reissued) was a keeper. Nothing has changed my opinion. No, I don't lend my Anne Stuarts. Sorry."

Upcoming schedule in MIRA: Cold as Ice, November, 2006; Ice Blue, April, 2007; Ice Storm (tentative) November, 2007; and possibly Reno's story in spring of 2008.

In addition to her own fabulous website where you can read excerpts, Anne also has a blogging site, Story Broads with Maggie Shayne, Tara Taylor Quinn, Patricia Potter, Lynn Kerstan and Suzanne Forster.

7 comments:

Helen Brenna said...

No doubt Anne Stuart is a kick, and I love her books. I sat next to her at an RWA conference too long ago to remember and she helped me understand one of the reasons why I write. "Seventh of eight kids," she said. "And who wants attention?"

Isabel Swift said...

Hey Helen, thanks for stopping by! I really enjoyed the photos of your children pre game & pre Halloween on Riding with the Top Down blog! I'm pretty sure I have it on my list, but I can't check while I'm commenting. Modesty may prevent you from saying this, but congratulations on your first book, TREASURE, a Harlequin Superromance, which will be on the shelves in February 2007!

We will have to ask Anne what the eighth of eight kids is doing. Or perhaps we don't want to know!

JT Ellison said...

This is yet another example of why I love being a Mira author. You guys rock!

Patricia Burroughs aka Pooks said...

Nothing but class from Isabel and crew, and I know that from way back.

Love it!

LadyBronco said...

Ladies, I am impressed. You responded to Stewart's post with class and integrity, both of which were non-existant in her comments. (Shame on you, Anne!) Ya'll were waaaaay nicer than I would have been. Way to go, ladies! I'm going to have a hard time buying her next book. (Or any future book, BTW.)

Helen Brenna said...

Thanks for stopping by our Riding with the Top Down blog, Isabel, and for mentioning my fist book, TREASURE. Can I be shameless and go one step further? I've been told you've actually met with movie scouts/agents interested in the movie rights on my second book, THE SUN HUNTER. (Recently renamed DAD FOR LIFE.)

Real 'em in, baby!

Isabel Swift said...

Boas are available at many "trimmings" stores--if you get to NYC those were purchased at M&J Trimming (http://www.mjtrim.com/)
1008 Sixth Avenue New York, NY 10018.

There are a lot of bead & trimming shops along 6th Avenue in the 30s & down the side streets to 7th Ave ("Fashion Ave")in New York. I spend ages selecting everyone's colors and then Mary couldn't find hers (pale blue) for the photo shoot. Sigh.

Everyone needs a boa. Really.