Bertrice Small on Fantasy & Reality

First I read LARA by Bertrice Small. I wanted more! I wanted to stay in the world she'd created. Luckily, A DISTANT TOMORROW and THE TWILIGHT LORD were already out, and I could return to Hetar right away and didn't have to wait months to read them. I hate waiting, don't you?

In her world-building, Bertrice blends lyrical and lush descriptive prose with a very matter-of-fact level of pragmatism. Lara is a remarkable character—but then so is her creator! I wondered what she was up to when she wasn't traveling between worlds, waging wars, adjudicating peace, forging alliances or spending time with her multi-faceted characters.

So I emailed Bertrice and asked...Wassup?

And she said...."You sent that using a Blackberry! Gawd, I am impressed. As I've said, I'm no techie. I do have a cell phone, but I never remember to turn the thing on. On the other hand, my bio is always up to date and I have a web mistress & update everything at the beginning of the year. For someone who is creative, I seem to have a practical streak. (Isabel says see? It's that left and right brain thing going on). Bertrice continued:

"I really don't wrestle with fantasy and reality. For me, they seem to be quite separate. " But then she added:

"Are you a believer in things not seen? Well, being of Celtic heritage, Irish/Scots/Welsh, I am. And I seem to have a wonderful guide for my fantasy series. For the first time in my life I never know what I'm going to write when I sit down to do a day's work. But I put my fingers on the keyboard, and it comes. I count it a great blessing to be allowed to be the conduit for these wonderful stories.

"I've spent today working on a few re-writes for Tara Parsons, my HQN editor. What a bright lovely girl she is. I have been most fortunate in my editors over the years.

"I'm also in the midst of subcontracting the renovations on a house we bought this spring. My adventures in all of this might prove amusing. Or not...!

"We decided to downsize. I found the Retirement Community idea lovely—the thought of never having to cook a meal again was incredibly tempting—but the folks there were old!

"Then I checked out the over 55 condo community in our village, but it is now "over 80" and the condo board chairman told me I couldn't have my DirecTV. The satellite would spoil the "integrity of the buildings." Good grief!

"Then a neighbor on our street died, and while I knew the house needed work, it's all on one floor. We bought it. It has a lovely living room with a raised hearth fireplace, a dining room as big as my own, which means I get to take my furniture, but the 3 tiny bedrooms, and the two 1957 bathrooms are going. They will become 2 large bedrooms, and 2 modern baths.

"Moving from a house we've lived in for 28 years which has 4 bedrooms, and 4 full bathrooms requires some paring down! Our son and his family are moving into the old homestead.

"I made certain, however, before taking time off from my work to get THE SORCERESS OF BELMAIR into my editor, Tara. (Isabel says thank you from all editors for your professionalism!) THE SORCERESS is scheduled to come out next May and there will be 3 more books in the series. And after that? I have absolutely no idea, but it will come. Of that I'm certain.

"Now I've decided I like fantasy better than reality. When I write fantasy I control the world in which my characters live. It's great to be a goddess!

"But when you're renovating a house to live in, reality strikes hard. The end of the house being completely rebuilt is now totally demolished. I go down after I stop working in the early evening almost every day.

"So far, on most days it looks as if nothing is or has gotten done. But yesterday the narrow window half way up the wall in what will be my new office was gone, and a brand new big window put in! I'm beginning to see how the light will fall in that room now, and where I might place my desk.

"It's progress, but reality is too darned slow for me. If it were fantasy I would have had that new office finished at least two chapters ago!"

All the best,

Bertrice

We all build our worlds—sometimes in fantasy, sometimes in reality. And life needs both, doesn't it?

Happy Hallowe'en! Time for Sorcery & the Single Girl

Mindy and I go way back--you can check out my prior post last Hallowe'en! And I've returned with another post, because she's got another book. Unfortunately, I'm in the middle of volume one of the six volume Memoirs of Casanova--I know, hard to believe I've gone so long without having read them, isn't it?--and haven't had a chance to read Sorcery, so I'm going to have to let other expert witnesses speak for the excellence of the reading experience!

Here's what Publishers Weekly had to say about Sorcery and the Single Girl

"Klasky emphasizes the importance of being true to yourself and having faith in friends and family in her bewitching second romance featuring fledgling witch Jane Madison (after Girl’s Guide to Witchcraft). Young librarian Jane believes getting into the elite Washington Coven, ruled by the prodigious Teresa Alison Sidney, is of major importance. If Jane wants to hold on to her familiar, her valuable book and gemstone collection and David Montrose, her hunky protector and instructor, she has to meet the coven’s standards for knowledge and skill. When slickly seductive Graeme Henderson starts laying it on suspiciously thick, and David insists that friendly coven witch Haylee can’t be trusted, Jane must decide what’s most important: trying to impress the popular coven snobs, or taking control of her power and doing what she knows is best for herself. Klasky’s moral lesson is obvious, but readers who identify with Jane’s remembered high school social angst will cheer her all the way. (Oct.)

Romantic Times BOOKreviews
"This is an irresistible tale . . . surprisingly charming and insightful."

Booklist on Girl's Guide to Witchcraft
"Fans of Shanna Swendson's Enchanted, Inc. series will find much to love in Klasky's zesty blend of fantasy and romance as well as in her winsome heroine."

and the first Amazon review of Sorcery...

Even better than the first book!, September 23, 2007
This author keeps getting better. Well-written and paced, funny and fabulous. I was so sad to see this book end that I started over and read again. One caveat, you should read the first book before this one. I can't wait for book 3 in 2008. Please check this series out. You will not be sorry! By A. Sugarman "book maven" (San Francisco, CA United States)

I very much enjoyed A GIRL'S GUIDE TO WITCHCRAFT, the first of this series, along with many others. I have to confess I am also from D.C. and loved the local touches. I can't resist sharing the other compelling advocates for her storytelling ability from the Amazon.com reader reviews on GGTW:

Wonderful First Book of the Series, August 29, 2007
I absolutely loved this book. It was light (without being too fluffy), magical (without being too science fiction-y), and romantic (without being too Bridget Jones). The characters are relatable and the story is fantastic. Great read for a chilly fall evening. By A Leo "Amy" (Haverford, PA United States)

Fun read!, May 1, 2007
GIRL'S GUIDE TO WITCHCRAFT is a fun read. Mindy Klasky has successfully put a paranormal twist to the chick lit genre that is quite entertaining. Jane's transformation throughout the story is wonderful to behold and inspirational in many ways. Her ability to find a positive even in the most horrendous circumstances is certainly admirable. However, it is Neko who steals the show! Neko is an absolutely fantastic character. Who can't help but love a cat in the guise of a man? His little quirks make him endearing and I certainly hope to see more of him in the upcoming sequel. By Deborah Wiley (Winter Haven, FL)

Witchy Librarian , February 16, 2007
Not what I expected but an easy read featuring a Librarian as the main character. Being a Librarian it was nice to see one of us represented as a normal person, well aside from her being a witch that is. By I. Lefkowitz "The Butterfly Chick"

Mindy Klasky is Chick Lit and RDI's version of J.K. Rowling , November 15, 2006
Jane Madison is a witch. But she does not know it. Has this beginner witch bitten off more than she chew, or will her catman familiar and her warder help her through it? I absolutely loved this book! I could not put it down, and I can't wait for the sequel to it, Sorcery and the Single Girl which comes out next year. By Nikkie (Charleston, SC)

Fun supernatural ride, October 19, 2006
Girls' Guide to Witchcraft is about plain-Jane Madison, a librarian who doesn't get a lot of attention from men. This book was a fun and fast-moving look at what happens in a girl's life when she discovers she's a witch. A lot of books about witchcraft focus heavily on how spells can go wrong; this story was more light-hearted. I'm looking forward to the sequel in October 2007 By Bearette24 (New York, NY)

I want more! , October 18, 2006
I haven't been able to put this book down. It's funny and smart and great fun. I can't wait for the sequel! It's well-written, the characters seem so real, okay, even if the lead character is a witch and her familiar springs to life as a fabulous gay man. They still seem real and you immediately care about them and can't wait to find out what happens to them next. More please! By LauraRebecca "LauraRebecca" (USA)

terrific coming of age chick lit tale , October 9, 2006
In some ways this is a terrific coming of age tale as the heroine goes from self pity to confidence in her skills though she believes the magic enabled her to do so. The story line is fast-paced as Jane balances her normal life as a librarian and family member with her bewitching new life that attracts males like Pooh Bear to honey. Mindy Klasky provides a beguiling enchanting chick lit tale a refreshing story line that casts a spell on readers. By Harriet Klausner

Fun Read, October 6, 2006
Having read her Glasswright Series, I've been a fan of Mindy's work for years, and was excited when I heard that she had a new book coming out. Billed as Chick-Lit, this romantic contemporary fantasy follows librarian Jane Madison through the trials and tribulations that come with learning you're a witch. Overall, I was enormously pleased with Girl's Guide, I really look forward to the next installment of this series. If you still need a reason to go buy it you should know Mindy is donating 10% of her profits to First Book, the international non-profit organization that is all about getting kids their first book. By Tina R. "Avid Reader" (Howell, NJ USA)

Chick Lit Keeper, October 4, 2006
I loved this book. I couldn't put it down and read it in one weekend. There isn't much "teaching witchcraft" in the book as the title might imply, but the message at the end is nice. My only complaint is that the sequel doesn't come out until October of 2007. By Book Addict (Midwest)

And if you want to get to know Mindy better, you can visit her blog.

So what are YOU going to be for Hallowe'en? Better start planning!

I always wanted someone to create a book of no-costumes. Things you might already have in your wardrobe that you would be comfortable in, could look good, if not fabulous in, yet with a little tweak, would actually be a costume or a character. And not the dorky "I'm coming as 'myself' line." Something clever. Maybe dressing entirely in white, ideally a white floaty skirt and then a solid yellow baseball cap or hat and you could be a fried egg, sunny side up.

Of course there is also the power of the set--consider if you had appropriately colored lycra outfits and wraparound sunglasses and four friends! The Power Rangers could become your signature piece. Passé for some, but there are a number of 3-5 year-olds that would still be really impressed.

Let your imagination soar--and work some magic!

When you want just a taste of Spice…

Spice Briefs--because size doesn't matter! (really!)

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• $2.99 US per eBook and $3.49 CAN

• Spice Briefs will be available in all e-book formats and are available for download at www.eHarlequin.com under Spice or through SpiceBriefs.com, as well as by author/title from eRetailers such as : http://www.mobipocket.com/, http://www.diesel-ebooks.com/, http://www.ebooks.com/, http://www.ebooks.connect.com/.

If you'd like to experiment between the covers (virtual ones, that is), check out how to be brief, but to the point with writing guidelines on Spice Briefs.

Or listen to an expert with the Inside Scoop with Nancy Madrone or check out So you want to write Erotica

A natural extension of the Spice brand, Spice Briefs will expand the opportunities to capitalize on the popularity of Erotic Fiction in the digital world, grow promising new authors, and create new print opportunities by publishing anthologies.

What was it that little girls are made of? Sugar and...Spice and sometimes Spice Briefs

Harlequin Podcasts are here!

Get the story behind the story with this series of author interviews from Harlequin, the global leader in series romance and one of the world's leading publishers of women's fiction.

Meet debut authors and New York Times bestselling writers from a wide variety of genres – romance, chick lit, fantasy, suspense--and learn what inspires them to write.

Check out the link!

Author Spotlight Episode 1: Deanna Raybourn and Jane Porter.

Author Spotlight Episode 2: Brenda Novak, Hope Tarr and Cara Summers

Listen up!

Congratulations Debbie on # 1 on USA Today and New York Times! A first!

The seventh in Debbie's bestselling Cedar Cove series (hint, the address tips you off to the placement in the series, SEVENty four Seaside Avenue) hits the USA Today List at #1 . Look for it in the same location on the September 19th New York Times Paperback Bestseller list (Mira, paperback original).

Debbie is not only a prolific writer and gifted storyteller, appearing frequently on the USA Today, New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists, but she can knit! She even taught me to knit.

She's a miracle worker and an inspiration to many, indeed Debbie published her first book, Heartsong, an Inspirational romance with Silhouette in 1984 and has written over 100 titles since! She's written award winning stories for both Silhouette and Harlequin for many series--Special Edition, SuperRomance, Americans, and Romance to name a few! She created groundbreaking continuity stories and writes her signature bestselling single titles for MIRA.

Her work is available in countless languages and formats around the world--including eBooks. Or have a listen to Debbie's interview at Audible.com --it's a free download.

Look for Where Angels Go a new Shirley, Goodness and Mercy title coming out in gift hardcover in October!

A Note from Susan Grant

Susan Grant wrote in to say:

I was so happy to see “ET” listed as a top 10 read from the boards this past week in the newsletter! I popped over and saw a few of the comments on different boards. It was great to see that so many had invested in these characters and were expressing hope that I’m continuing the series.

I wanted to let everyone know that I am! Moonstruck comes out next June, and kicks off the Borderlands series, which is a richer, somewhat darker, more emotional spin-off of the Otherworldly Men series. It centers around the Drakken, the Coalition, and Earth, all former enemies who must now learn to work together in peacetime.

In that book--which I feel is one of the very best I have ever written--I pair up Admiral Brit Bandar, the Coalition’s greatest war hero and Drakken hunter with a former Drakken pirate known as “the Scourge of the Borderlands” as her (forced) second-in-command. Then I toss in an undeniable attraction too powerful to ignore. Heh, heh. I’m so mean to my characters!

Two months later The Warlord's Daughter (tentative title) comes out in August. In that book we’ll see Ellen, Evie’s teenage daughter, who’s spending her summer aboard a starship as part of an internship before she becomes a cadet at the Royal Galactic Military Academy. In true hell-on-wheels Ellen fashion, she will have her adventures as a secondary character! Yes, she’ll have her own book once I grow her up a bit more.

All the best,

Susan Grant

Isabel adds that How to Lose an Extraterrestrial in 10 Days is out now, along with My Favorite Earthling and Your Planet or Mine?.

If you'd like an update on Susan's day job, check out Susan Grant's Come Fly With Me Blog.


Isn't the Internet amazing? As a reader, I would just stand in front of the bookshelves and ask these questions into the stratosphere: "Why don't you write a sequel?"

And then be filled with dread that even if great minds thought alike and my words of wisdom took root and flowered...how would I ever even know, except by the merest chance, or a lucky break, or obsessive haunting of bookstores and used bookstores (knowing I'd likely miss it when it first come out).

Now we have RSS, links, blogs, searches and multiple opportunities to connect and communicate. I am glad to do my small part to share info and spread the word into this new cyber universe we call home.

Does Blogging Make a Difference for an Author?

Suzanne McMinn, author and one of my fairy blogmothers, (see prior post) just sent me a comment one of her readers sent to her.

Suzanne wrote: Hi, Isabel! We talked some time ago about blogging, particularly in relation to how it can help authors. I know it's been helpful for me in drawing readers, though I don't often get direct confirmation.

Given the general lack of hard 'evidence,' I wanted to share an email I recently received that I thought was very well-expressed. It came from a reader about how my blog specifically caused her to buy my latest book.

I thought you might find it interesting and would enjoy seeing it in the reader's own words, about her view of the effectiveness of an author's blog in relation to sales. (She says she doesn't think she expresses it well, but I think she does.) Her email attached below:

Best,
Suzanne McMinn

Available Now: SECRETS RISING, July 2007, Silhouette Romantic Suspense

Reader Letter

Subj: Your Blog/Web Site
Date: 8/1/2007 11:51:02 AM

Suzanne,

I wanted to mention that when I first found your web site, I had just finished reading "Deep Blue." I Googled your name, found your site and have been visiting every week day since. That's what? About a month or six weeks ago?

I know I stated in one of my comments how impressed I am with your site, how much discipline you do have to update it and make it so fun. I wanted you to know that your web site and blog are the reasons I ordered "Secrets Rising," and will continue to order and read your books. Not that I didn't enjoy the Pax books; I did! I just meant that your site is very effective, in my opinion, in garnering readers/fans. I love the personal touch and that makes *me* want to keep coming back again and again.

I'm probably not expressing myself well enough--a health professional told me yesterday to give up coffee and I'm fuzzy-headed at the moment. LOL. The bottom line is that I think your web site is a very effective marketing/promotional tool and I hope you are able to continue to make such successful use of it.

All the best.

Kim of Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Isabel wrote: I don't think blogging is for everyone, but I think it is one way to connect with readers and for some authors and some readers, or even a particular project, that can be a valued opportunity.

Here, I think the reader really articulated her position and thoughts well. She expressed the desire and comfort of getting to know the artist & of feeling connected/respectful/interested in the mind that was creating the stories she is immersing herself in, the characters she is caring about, the worlds she is stepping into.

It makes a lot of sense to me, especially in this day and age of spin, denial, and the fact that for many, truthfulness has been replaced by "truthiness" and for some, that just isn't appealing. Finding a place where the words and the music are in harmony is a beautiful thing.

Many people, especially romance and women's fiction readers, repond to sincerity--that's what we talk about when we say, "Write from the heart." Sounds like you deliver!