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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Chat Wednesday night with... CARLY PHILLIPS!

NYT Bestselling author, Carly Phillips, joins us to discuss her book, LOVE ME IF YOU DARE, the second book in her Bachelor series. Door prize: One lucky winner will receive a $15 gift card from Amazon! Moderated by CrazyMo.

When? Tomorrow (Wed) night at 9:00 PM Eastern time

Where? http://client0.addonchat.com/sc.php?id=102122 or go to http://www.romrevtoday.com/ and click on RRT Chat. Once the login screen loads, just type your name and choose Mo's room from the chat room menu ;)

Hope to see you there for what is bound to be SRO!

Monday, August 30, 2010

Book Giveaway:

ALL I EVER WANTED by Kristan HIggins
(yes, two book giveaways this week)

Read the review from RRT by clicking here

Hero is a vet and both of them have dogs as pets. What is your favorite kind of pet?
Post your responses and I'll pick a winner on Saturday.
US and Canada addresses only.
Good luck!

Spotlight Review:

TEMPTING THE FIRE - Sydney CroftACRO, Book 5
ISBN: 978-0-385-34228-5
August 2010
Erotic Paranormal Romance

The Amazon & ACRO Headquarters - Present Day

When a SEAL team is attacked by a beast in the Amazon jungle, the Agency of Covert Rare Operatives (ACRO) sends in Sela Kahne and Marlena West. It’s possible that the beast is the legendary chupacabra, and Sela, a cryptozoologist will be needed for her expertise. What ACRO does know is that there are representatives of the Global Weapons Corporation (GWC) in the area, and GWC has supplied weapons for Itor in the past. Itor, like ACRO, employs people with enhanced abilities, but Itor is in it for power and money, and are more interested in running the world than saving it. The plan is for Marlena to use her Seducer abilities to find out what GWC is up to, and find the chupacabra, and for Sela to work with the beast, without having to use her own psychic abilities (she can read people’s minds during orgasm).

Other than getting captured by GWC though, nothing is going according to plan. Logan Mills, the man who runs GWC, is more interested in Sela than Marlena, and Sela finds herself reluctantly attracted to Logan. Then, the women realize that one of the SEALs survived the attack and is currently being held by GWC. Chance McCormack has healed very well in spite of injuries that should have killed him and, when left alone with Marlena in the medical tent, he is unable to control the desire he feels for her. But, Chance wasn’t as unaffected by the attack as everyone had believed, and it soon becomes apparent that the missing chupacabra isn’t the only threat.

Once again writing duo Sydney Croft has created an amazing adventure filled with interesting characters. The first half of TEMPTING THE FIRE focuses on Sela and Marlena’s insertion into the jungle and what they deal with once they reach the GWC camp. Logan isn’t what Sela expected: someone who works indirectly with Itor should be as evil as their bosses, shouldn’t they? Yet, Logan was a soldier until his injuries turned him into a real-life “Six million dollar man”. He’s disgusted by some of the things his father has done with GWC, and hopes to turn things around. Sela’s career as a Seducer with ACRO ended badly, and she’s happy with the new direction her work has taken her. If she never has to use her sexuality on a mission again she’d be thrilled, but she may not have a choice this time. Marlena was assistant to the head of ACRO for years and has only recently begun working as a Seducer. A curse placed on her as a youth ensures that she falls obsessively in love with any man she sleeps with, and that afterwards, he’ll hate her forever. When this doesn’t happen with Chance, she hopes that the curse has been broken, but nothing can be as simple as that.

The second half of the book is where having read the previous books will be helpful, although it also helps knowing the background between ACRO and Itor and some of the earlier missions of the team. There is something going on with Annika, which is creating havoc in her relationship with Creed, and Gabe’s impatience with the training and desire to hone his powers is causing resentment with some of the instructors, especially because of his relationship with Devlin, the head of ACRO. The troubles back home become a part of the mission, but also give readers a chance to catch up with other characters.

TEMPTING THE FIRE is a thrilling addition to the ACRO series, and will keep readers riveted from beginning to end

Jennifer Bishop

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Book Giveaway:

by Margaret Moore

Lord of Vice

Quintus MacLachlann is arrogant - unapologetically so. When he's asked to impersonate one half of a married couple to infiltrate Edinburgh society, he relishes the challenge of being "married" to the frustratingly willful yet beautiful Esme.

Lady of Virtue

Esme makes no bones about her fervent dislike of the dishonored rake. He's the last person on earth she can conceive of marrying, sham or otherwise. But being forced to play wife to the handsome-as-sin wastrel brings up very real feelings of desire....

Interested in winning?

Then tell us about what books you are planning to buy or hoping to get for September....

US and Canada addressess only and a winner will be announced Tuesday night.

Spotlight Review:

DOUBLE PLAY - Joanne Rock
The Wrong Bed Series
Harlequin Blaze #560
ISBN: 978-0-373-79564-2
August 2010
Series Romance

Boston, Massachusetts and Los Angeles, California - Present Day

After her boyfriend basically tells Amber Nichols she's lousy in bed, she licks her wounds in Nantucket at a friend's place. Amber's friend suggests she hook up with the sexy neighbor next door, a one-night stand extraordinaire third baseman for the Boston Aces baseball team. While she contemplates whether to follow through, out of the water rises a gorgeous, breathtaking male. Oh. My. While bookish Amber still isn't yet sold on the idea of flirting with him, she does run into him at a local bar. The two hit it off, and she throws all her caution to the wind and the two end up between the sheets. Then she learns the next morning that he isn't the third baseman, but the coach of the Boston Aces.

Heath Donovan spent the past few years as one of the top players in professional baseball, but took a chance by becoming his team's coach. It hasn't turned out as well as he expected; the team is currently on a losing streak, and the owners are threatening to fire him. Heath ends up on Nantucket after being suspended for a couple of days. He's there to think about his future, but instead he runs into Amber. The two connect in a way he's never felt before, but he thinks she doesn't know baseball. Imagine his surprise when she reveals she thinks he's his third baseman. Is she just another groupie, or was the sex between them real and something they can build a future on?

A case of mistaken identity begins DOUBLE PLAY. Amber thinks the man she slept with was safe and a good balm for a wounded pride after her ex's hateful words. Of course, the sex is fantastic too. She's stunned to learn he's not the youthful womanizer baseball player, but sexy, mature Heath Donovan, the coach of the team. With Amber more into books and thinking before she leaps (the one-night stand notwithstanding), Heath isn't her type. Right? But they connect in ways she's never done before with a man, and he certainly proves to her that she isn't a slouch in bed.

Heath is dealing with threat of being a failure after years of success. He knew it wasn't going to be easy to replace a legendary coach, but he didn't expect he'd bomb. Being with Amber has him thinking about things other than baseball, though; maybe that isn't a good thing, since if he doesn't get a grip on what is wrong, he'll be unemployed. He's deeply attracted to Amber and whisks her off with him on the team's road trip. He'll do almost anything for her, yet, at the back of his mind is whether he can face her as a loser. Surely they can see the fiery chemistry between them? She is his yang for his ying.

DOUBLE PLAY revolves around baseball, but Joanne Rock has penned a sexy, hot tale that is less about baseball than it is about self-worth and moving ahead to find yourself. Readers will feel the deep connection between Amber and Heath. Meanwhile, there is a side story in DOUBLE PLAY about the third baseman. Is he indeed a heartthrob who only cares about getting laid and winning on the baseball field?

A summery hot read for all seasons, DOUBLE PLAY has its share of emotion that will pull you in. Be sure to grab your copy today.

Patti Fischer

Friday, August 27, 2010

The winner is....

THE PERFECT POISON winner is poster #15 -- JENNIE!!!

Please email me at pattifischer@yahoo.com by 9/7/10.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Carly Phillips answers your questions....

Remember a month ago when I ran a contest where you asked questions for Carly Phillips and I told you she would answer your questions? Well, here are the questions and her responses:

1. When you are writing a series, do you ever get so attached to characters that you want to keep writing about them?

I connect with all of my characters on some level or I wouldn't be able to get into their heads, but I'm also always happy to finish a book! I definitely get attached to my characters, but also ready to let them go when it's time.

2. Who are some of your favorite romance authors?
 The Plotmonkeys of course ;) Janelle Denisen, Julie Leto and Leslie Parrish. I also love to read Victoria Dahl, Erin McCarthy, Rachel Gibson, Toni Blake, and Jill Shalvis. Recently I've dipped a toe into paranormal reads and fell in love with Larissa Ione, Nalini Singh, Meaghan Hatfield and more!

3. Have you thought about ever branching out into other genres?

No, I enjoy writing light and sexy contemporary romances about family and relationships though my next series for Berkley will be a bit deeper. More like my earlier books, CROSS MY HEART and SEALED WITH A KISS. I did think about it briefly and decided I'm too happy doing what I do!

4. How did you start writing?

When I was home with a colicky baby (my eldest daughter), I read romances to help relieve the stress of parenting. The books really helped keep my sanity LOL and it wasn’t long before I tried writing my own romances. With my husband’s support, I wrote around the baby’s schedule … 10 completed manuscripts and 7 years later, I sold my first book!

5. Do you listen to music while you write or does it have to be silent?

Actually I usually have the TV on. I am a HUGE General Hospital fan LOL. I can write amidst chaos. I'm one of those odd ducks!

6. From KISS ME IF YOU CAN, what scene did you have the most fun writing?

Any scene with Charlotte and Sylvia was fun to write. I loved the one where they tie up "Ricky" the best!

7. Do you "write" your characters' personalities first & then just let them loose & see what they'll do, or do you think of the situation & outcome & then make up the personalities to suit the story?

Good question! I usually think of a situation, then craft character around the situation; OR I'll do character's GMC and make them fit each other, then work out the rest of the scenario, but I usually have a sense of the story first. Especially in a series, where I've already done one or two books, then characters have already begun to be set. That's challenging for me though, because I'm a pantser at heart and I like to see where characters take me, so I hate tying them down too specifically in one book and being stuck in the next!

8. Do you have any unique routine you do each day as part of your writing?

I started using "Write or Die", which is an application that lets me time myself writing, and forces me to push out scenes. I love to be able to sit down in the morning and write, and know I have page count done for the day. Then I can do touch ups in the afternoon. I write at my recliner using my laptop!

9. Do you have input into your covers and titles?

At this point in my career, yes, thank goodness! Sometimes it doesn't work out, but I foresee good things going forward.

10. What are you currently reading?

I started a Nalini Singh book in her Psy-Changeling series, read through two books and I'm on book 3. I love finding an author that's new to me, with tons of new books in a series ahead of me to read!

Learn more about Carly by visiting www.carlyphillips.com

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Mo's Book Buzz chat with Grace Hood!

The Wild Rose Press Debut author Grace Hood joins us to discuss her book, WHERE THERE'S HEAT. Door prize: One lucky winner will receive a free download of WHERE THERE'S HEAT! Moderated by KatBos.

When?  Tonight, Wednesdaay, at 9:00 PM Eastern time

Where? nhttp://client0.addonchat.com/sc.php?id=102122 or go to http://www.romrevtoday.com/ and click on RRT Chat. Once the login screen loads...just type your ame and choose Mo's room from the chat room menu ;)

Hope to see you there for a very HOTTT and steamy chat ;)

PS...learn more by visiting Grace's website by clicking here.

Book Giveaway:

Plagued by rumors that she poisoned her fiancé, Lucinda Bromley manages to live on the fringes of polite society, tending her beloved plants—and occasionally consulting on a murder investigation. For the notorious botanist possesses a unique talent: she can detect almost any type of poison, especially ones that have their origins in the botanical kingdom.

But the death of a lord has shaken Lucinda to her core. At the murder scene, she picks up traces of a poison containing a very rare species of fern. So rare, in fact, that only one specimen exists in all of England—and it was stolen from her conservatory just last month. To keep her name out of the investigation and to find the murderer, Lucinda hires a fellow Arcane Society member. Caleb Jones runs a psychical investigation agency. A descendant of the founder of the Society, he is very good at protecting its secrets—and frighteningly good getting at the truth. Immediately, Lucinda senses both a raw power and undeniable intensity in the imposing man.

But as a nearly overwhelming desire blooms between Caleb and Lucinda, they are drawn into the dark heart of a deadly conspiracy that can be traced to the early days of the Arcane Society—and to a legacy of madness that could plunge Caleb into the depths of his own tortured soul...

Easy to enter. Tell us what you're currently reading and I'll put your name in the drawing. One entry per person and only to US and Canada mailing addresses.

Winner to be announced Friday night. Good luck!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Q&A with April Alisa Marquette!

Please welcome April Alisa Marquette to the RRT Blog!

1. Tell us about your newest release.

My newest release Turnabout is a love story, but with a twist. It involves not only the lovers, but their family, friends, and even their foes—a few people who don’t wish them well. Turnabout is sometimes funny, its subject matter is very sensitive, it is sensual, and steamy. It’s about sexy JaMerican Abigail who would like to be involved with ruggedly attractive pop music producer Joseph. However, Abigail’s ex doesn’t want to stay out of her life. So you know there’s drama, because the producer, Joseph is not feeling this. Abigail and Joseph’s friends and family members also want to have their say. Then there are others who betray the couple, at the worst time—when misfortune befalls them! But isn’t that how life goes? If readers need erotica, if they’d like to think, if they enjoy beautiful imagery, and don’t mind feeling frustrated as well as exhilarated, just like in a real relationship, then this must-read will not disappoint!

2. Can you tell us a little about your favorite scene in the story?

I have so many favorite scenes, but I’ll list just one. I love the part in the story where Abigail and Joseph fight, over a woman friend of his. They do so at a time when there are people, including family members, surrounding them. You know the family gets involved…then the couple has to band together, to withstand the onslaught. In this scene there are some hilarious as well as touching and sensual moments. As with everything I write, I try to run the emotional gamut, and give readers a bit of everything.

3. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Well, I can truthfully say that I have always written, since I could string words together. As an adolescent, I wrote short stories which I read to friends and family, but afterward I’d toss the stories. However, it wasn’t until I was about sixteen, and had read the then-best seller, that I realized that I too wanted to be a career—not closet—writer. That was my ‘aha moment.’ Then I vowed to never throw away any more of my work. I promised myself that I would create a viable work of fiction and get it published.

4. Where do you get your information or ideas for your stories?

The ideas for stories come to me, anytime, anywhere. I could be driving, and an idea will start to germinate. I also ‘hear conversations,’ what characters will say in a book. These things I jot down or type, because I know that a story is about to come to life. For me, the ‘idea stage’ is very exciting.

5. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

My interesting writing quirk is that I have a visualization board. It enables me to see, or visualize the book that I am currently writing as a finished product. It’s a goal that I work toward.

6. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

Surprising was that I am a channel, a conduit… I say so because I have not created the idea for any book. Every single one has come to me, but from where? There could be a dozen answers to that question...imagination, spirits, divine intervention—the list is endless. However, what I know is: if I weren’t an open conduit for these book ideas, they would pass me by, and go on to the next person who would be willing to embrace or explore them.

7. What authors or friends influenced you in helping you become a writer?

There are many authors that influenced me. As a young woman I was introduced to Maya Angelou and Amy Tan. They tell stories in a simple no nonsense way. Then there was Terry McMillan, and Bebe Moore Campbell. They made me chuckle, but they also caused me to feel. Nora Roberts took me many places with her writing, and Rosamunde Pilcher put me in a time and space with beautiful details. Our beloved E. Lynn Harris challenged perceptions, and caused me to think. All of these authors influenced the way I look at and approach writing. My friends are valued for their honesty. If something will not work, they say so. If it does, they cheer me on.

8. What does your family think about your career as a published author?

My family thinks my career is great. Achievers as well, they like showing people my work. They also tell me things that are hilarious. A few times I’ve flipped the script and have used a portion of their, or my own, experiences in a book. What is great though is that they know that never would I embarrass or hurt them in print, because that is not my way. I am into empowering people, my readers especially. Amid all the drama in my books, I always want to offer hope.

9. Besides writing, what other interests do you have?

My other interests include traveling. I want to one day add Africa to the list of places that I have been. I am also into expanding the minds of young people. Many people helped me to expand my mind, so in turn, I do my part. I tutored high school students. Now I work with an Atlanta organization whose goal is to make sure that more of our youths acquire self-esteem and a sense of belonging. Our aim is to see them go to college or to trade schools to gain life-navigation skills.

10. Can you tell us about what’s coming up next for you writing wise?

Next for me is the completion and release of my novel ‘Iniquities.’ It is the third book in The Cohort Trilogy. In this book, the beautiful buff gay male named Beau returns. Readers get to see his life, his loves—yes his same-sex relationships, and his opposite sex relationships—if there are any, and we’ll explore his secrets. Unlike the first two books in the trilogy, this one focuses mainly on Beau. This new book ‘Iniquities’ is a wicked little ride. Not for the faint of heart, it reveals men, who may not be what they seem…as it also depicts women who are something else as well. Let me say this. Beau’s story just may be the most interesting one in The Cohort Trilogy! Coming soon, readers will be able to order it online, at Amazon.com, and a host of other sites.

Learn more by visiting April's website at http://www.aprilalisamarquette.com/

Saturday, August 21, 2010

New Reviews Posted

Volume 8, Issue 3, August 21, 2010

Romance Reviews Today – The best reviews on the web!

AUGUST 2010 Contest
My Dangerous Duke by Galen Foley & Claimed by a Scottish Lord by Melody Thomas

The Brazen Bride by Stephanie Laurens & Infamous by Suzanne Brockmann

Rapture Untamed by Pamela Palmer & Blind Spot by Nancy Bush

Erotic Prize:
Need Me by Shelli Stevens & Wolf Tales 10 by Kate Douglas

See the Contest page for entry instructions.

See the Contest page for entry instructions.

New reviewers wanted. Contact Terrie – Please include a sample review in your email.

Limited number of review openings – get your request for review in early. Review Policy – 60 days advance notice. No Exceptions! Late requests will be considered on a time and space available. When requesting a review please include the following information:
Title, Author, Publisher, Release Date, ISBN, Genre, ARC Format (i.e. electronic or print if electronic please include PDF page count.)

All interviews will be posted on the blog and archived to the site at a later date. (Contact Terrie or Patti to schedule your interview.)

Advertising is available on the home page beginning in May. Please see Author Service page at romrevtoday.com for pricing information.

Chats – All chats begin at 9 pm eastern. Check out the RRT Blog for the most current author chat schedule. Open Forum with Scheme on Monday, Author Chat’s with Crazy Mo on Wednesday, and Friday Nights with Patti. Don’t miss the chats they are informative and fun! A Link to the chat room can be found on the home page at www.romrevtoday.com
New reviews this issue: 21 – (includes 3 Erotic reviews)

BURNING UP – Angela Knight, Nalini Singh, Virginia Kantra – Meljean Brook – Paranormal Romance
NAUTI AND WILD – Lora Leigh and Jaci Burton – CeCe – Erotic Contemporary Romance

Contemporary Fiction
A VINTAGE AFFAIR – Isabel Wolff – Amy
HOT FINISH – Erin McCarthy – A Fast Track Novel – Jennifer
JULIET – Anne Fortier – Jane
WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE – Sally Koslow – Deborah

Contemporary Romance
AND ONE LAST THING … - Molly Harper – Kate
COLD HANDS, WARM HEARTS – Jenny Jacobs – Patti
TREASURING EVIE – Tessie Bradford – Jennifer – Erotic

AS LIE THE DEAD – Kelly Meding – Dreg City, Book 2 – Lenore

Historical Romance

I KISSED AN EARL – Julie Ann Long - Victoria
MY LADY’S PLEASURE – Olivia Quincy – Amy

STROKE OF GENIUS – Emily Bryan - Amy

Paranormal Romance
A WILD LIGHT – Marjorie M. Liu – A Hunter Kiss Novel – Jennifer
BLUE LADY – Shelly Munro – Middlemarch Mates, Book 10 – Jennifer – Erotic Short
HEART JOURNEY – Robin D. Owens – A Celta Novel – Jani
UNCHAINED – Sharon Ashwood – The Dark Forgotten, Book 3 – Lori

Romantic Mystery
DEEPLY, DESPERATELY – Heather Webber – Lucy Valentine, Book 2 – Lori

Series Romance
DOUBLE PLAY – Joanne Rock – The Wrong Bed Series – Patti – HB#560
EXPECTANT PRINCESS, UNEXPECTED AFFAIR – Michelle Celmer – Royal Seductions, Book 8 – Patti – SD #2032

FALLING FOR HIS PROPER MISTRESS – Tessa Radley – Dynasties: The Jarrods - Book 2 – Patti – SD #2020

Terrie Figueroa Owner/Webmistress Romance Reviews Today

Friday, August 20, 2010

Spotlight Review:

ALL I EVER WANTED – Kristan Higgins
ISBN: 978-0-373-77458-6
August 2010
Contemporary Romance

Georgebury, Vermont – Present Day

Callie Grey’s thirtieth birthday should be a happy day for her, but instead it turns into a nightmare when her boss (and presumed boyfriend) Mark informs her that he is seeing Muriel de Veers, who will also be working at the company. Devastated, Callie makes an excuse that she needs to go to the Department of Motor Vehicles and there she runs into an obnoxious, but good-looking man who makes snide comments about her emotional meltdown while they’re standing in line for a new driver’s license. Obviously, he doesn’t understand how losing the man you’ve worshipped since your childhood—the one who gave you your first kiss—is a big deal. Afterwards, Callie decides to move on, specifically by checking out the new vet in town, who she heard is hot looking. A lame excuse visit to the vet’s office results in a shocking discovery. He’s the man she met in the DMV, who saw her at her worst. Oh, horrors…. How could a man this good looking, and who also a vet, not have a decent ounce of sympathy inside him?

Ian McFarland had a nomadic life growing up, and coming to Georgebury to settle down seems like a good idea. Unfortunately, with the ladies chasing after him and the townsfolk not welcoming him with open arms, the only business he’s been getting is a lot of women’s pets with suspicious ailments. Callie is just like the rest, and he also knows she’s just getting over a failed relationship. Add in the fact that she wants to become friends with him, and this is not something Ian feels comfortable with since his childhood rarely allowed him time to create lasting friendships, well, he has no intention of taking her up on her offer. Yet, the more he tries to avoid her, the more they seem to run into each other. Can Callie grow on him? Can it turn into something more than just a friendship? Has she gotten over Mark enough to be able to move on?

Callie’s emotional ups and downs open ALL I EVER WANTED by Kristan Higgins. Mark had been the only man she wanted, and when they finally became a “couple” a few weeks before, she had high hopes for a future with him. But alas, he dumped her for a business colleague’s daughter and brought the new woman into the business. Working and watching everyday while Mark and Muriel coo and cuddle hurts Callie, and it’s a slow process for healing. Ian proves to be a small distraction. All she wants at first is a new man in her life, but she’s not looking for a future with him. He’s a hard person to crack, as Ian tends to keep his emotions deep inside and has little patience for emotional outbursts by Callie. They definitely have a bumpy road ahead, whether it becomes a friendship…or love.

Callie’s parents divorced when she was eight, and this left a mark on the family. Her mother and father never remarried, but her mother hates men, just as Callie’s sister Hester does. Younger brother Fred is a perpetual college student who hasn’t found his calling in life unless one considers drinking and goofing off as a career. Then there is Callie’s grandfather, Noah…he’s old, cranky, has only one leg and is a general bear to be around. Yet, she lives with him and takes care of him. Their relationship is one of sassiness and snark, yet they love one another.

The one constant in Callie’s life is her dog Bowie, who adores her unconditionally. Yet, it’s hard to really talk to a dog. When Callie needs to reflect, all she has to do is look at her beloved rocking chair, a rare piece of furniture—the rarity is as special as the love she hopes to find. Can she find that love…and share it and the chair with Ian? Or is she doomed to remain single for the rest of her life, hopelessly in love with Mark?

A poignant journey of self-discovery by two people who are adrift on the river of life, ALL I EVER WANTED will pull you in from the first scene where Callie is dumped and the realization that the man who is right for her is the last person she expects. Told in first person, ALL I EVER WANTED is an enjoyable, relaxing tale with a nice mix of emotion and humor. Pick up your own copy and see for yourself.

Patti Fischer

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Whisper Kiss winner announcement.....

The winner of Whisper Kiss is... poster number one: Cecille!!

Please email me at pattifischer@yahoo.com by 8/30/10.

A Perfect 10:

VEIL OF NIGHT - Linda Howard
A Perfect 10
Ballantine Books (Hardcover)
ISBN: 978-0-345-50689-4
August 2010
Romantic Suspense

Hopewell, Alabama; Present Day

For Jaclyn Wilde, the next week will be a killer. First, she forgot to pay a speeding ticket, and it's the last day. That means a trip to pay in person before meeting with Carrie Edwards, a bride who defines the term bridezilla. And that's all before the six weddings booked for the next five days. Jaclyn and her mother, Madelyn, are partners in Premier, a successful event planning firm. They are fortunate in both having competent assistants, but Jaclyn will need all the tact and control she can muster to smooth things over with the vendors Carrie has alienated one by one with her outrageous demands. Before the day is done, however, there are two bright spots in Jaclyn's day. The first is literally bumping into a hot guy as she exits the town hall; it's the closest encounter she's had with a man in ages. The second good thing happens when she stops in a bar at the end of the day to treat herself to a drink. It happens to be a cop bar, where Hopewell P.D. Detective Eric Wilder is relaxing with a beer.

Eric watches the classy woman who had bumped into him earlier that day enter and take a seat by herself. After concluding she hasn't come in to meet anyone or to be picked up—she politely turns down a young uniform cop—Eric gives in and approaches her. Whether it's the bad day, the attraction she'd immediately felt when their bodies collided, or a combination of both, Jaclyn does something she never does...

Whew! Talk about Wilde and Wilder!

When someone murders Carrie Edwards the next day, the list of people with motives is a long one, with Jaclyn as number one. Unfortunately for her, Jaclyn appears to be the last person to see Carrie alive after a meeting with the vendors in which Carrie makes a nasty scene.

Hopewell P.D. is shorthanded, so Eric can't be spared in the murder investigation; he just has to play everything by the book and show no favoritism toward Jaclyn, even though he believes her innocent. Too bad she doesn't realize that.

VEIL OF NIGHT is simply terrific. It has wit, great characters in Jaclyn and Eric as well as in the supporting cast, and a cozy mystery to solve. The novel is fast paced with often-humorous dialogue and likable players. The story is shown from both protagonists' points of view with the occasional view from Jaclyn's mother's POV. I haven't given you much of a look at Eric, but, trust me, you'll enjoy him.

Last November, I gave Ms. Howard's ICE a rare Perfect 10. This novel is lighter in mood than that danger-filled suspense, but no less riveting. I'm giving VEIL OF NIGHT another Perfect 10.

Jane Bowers

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Chat Wednesday night with...Lorelei James!

Come join Crazy Mo and the gang on 8/18/10 as Lorelei James is her special guest in the Romance Reviews Today chatroom starting at 9:00 PM Eastern Time.

Go to http://www.romrevtoday.com/ and click on RRT Chat button on the left hand side and then select Mo's Book Buzz.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Book Giveaway:

WHISPER KISS by Deborah Cooke
Out now!

One man's mission ignites one woman's fire...

Niall Talbot has volunteered to hunt down and destroy all the remaining shadow dragons - who were weakened by the destruction of the Dragon's Blood Elixir - before they can wreak more havoc. Among them is his dead twin brother, making Niall's mission not only dangerous but personal.

Tattoo artist Rox believes the world is a canvas to be made more beautiful. An unconventional spirit who isn't afraid of anything, she doesn't even flinch when a shape-shifting dragon warrior suddenly appears on her doorstep. And as a woman who follows her heart in matters of passion, she makes the perfect mate for a firestorm with Niall...

Learn more by clicking here

Post away and I'll pick a winner on Thursday night (late).
One entry per person and US and Canada addresses only.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

New reviews posted at RRT 8/15/10

Volume 8, Issue 2, August 15, 2010
Romance Reviews Today – The best reviews on the web!

AUGUST 2010 Contest
My Dangerous Duke by Galen Foley & Claimed by a Scottish Lord by Melody Thomas

The Brazen Bride by Stephanie Laurens & Infamous by Suzanne Brockmann

Rapture Untamed by Pamela Palmer & Blind Spot by Nancy Bush

Erotic Prize:
Need Me by Shelli Stevens & Wolf Tales 10 by Kate Douglas

See the Contest page for entry instructions.

New reviewers wanted. Contact Terrie – Please include a sample review in your email.

Limited number of review openings – get your request for review in early. Review Policy – 60 days advance notice. No Exceptions! Late requests will be considered on a time and space available. When requesting a review please include the following information:

Title, Author, Publisher, Release Date, ISBN, Genre, ARC Format (i.e. electronic or print if electronic please include PDF page count.)

All interviews will be posted on the blog and archived to the site at a later date. (Contact Terrie or Patti to schedule your interview.)

Advertising is available on the home page beginning in May. Please see Author Service page at romrevtoday.com for pricing information.

Chats – All chats begin at 9 pm eastern. Check out the RRT Blog for the most current author chat schedule. Open Forum with Scheme on Monday, Author Chat’s with Crazy Mo on Wednesday, and Friday Nights with Patti. Don’t miss the chats they are informative and fun!

New reviews this issue: 20– (includes 1 Erotic review)

Contemporary Romance
ALL I EVER WANTED – Kristan Higgins - Patti
HOME AGAIN – Mariah Stewart – The Chesapeake Diaries, Book 2 – Jane
LOVE ME – Bella Andre – Sequel to Take Me – CeCe – Erotic

BODY MASTER – C.J. Barry - Kathy
SHADOW FALL – Erin Kellison – Marilyn
WAKING THE WITCH – Kelley Armstrong – Women of the Otherworld series, Book 11 – Kathy

Historical Romance
A GIFT FROM HOME – C.H. Admirand – Irish Western Series – Robin
A KNIGHT AND WHITE SATIN – Jackie Ivie – Carolyn
TILL DAWN WITH THE DEVIL – Alexandra Hawkins – A Lords of Vice Novel – Robin

Paranormal Romance
BEDEVILED ANGEL – Annette Blair – Works Like Magick – Marilyn

Regency Romance
TEA LEAVES AND TAROT CARDS – Jacqueline Seewald – Jane

Romantic Suspense
A KISS TO KILL – Nina Bruhns – Passion for Danger, Book 3 – Sinclair
SHADOWS AT MIDNIGHT – Elizabeth Jennings – Marilyn
VEIL OF NIGHT – Linda Howard – A Perfect 10 – Jane
WHITE HEAT – Brenda Novak – Marilyn

Series Romance
HIS BLACK SHEEP BRIDE – Anna DePalo – Aristocratic Grooms, Book 1 – Jennifer – SD #2034
HONOR BOUND GROOM – Yvonne Lindsey – Man of the Month – Diana – SD #2029
THE GREEK’S PREGNANT LOVER – Lucy Monroe – Traditional Greek Husbands Miniseries – Diana – HP #2935
WINNING IT ALL – Catherine Mann, Emily McKay – A Summer of Scandal, Book 3 – Patti – SD #2031

And the winner is.....

Congrats to mfroelich, who wins a copy of SWEET AND SINFUL by Jodi Lynn Copeland.

Congrats and email me your mailing address at pattifischer@yahoo.com

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Book Giveaway:

SWEET AND SINFUL by Jodi Lynn Copeland

Two young women in the great big city find they have the same problem: office relationships are a definite no-no, but there's always a way to bend the rules - for the right man...Compared to Candy, her across-the-cubicle co-worker, Courtney Baxter is shy. She wouldn't mind being just like Candy, and she's invested in a new wardrobe that practically screams seduce me. Suddenly Courtney has more men ready to hop into her bed than she ever imagined, including Blaine Daly. The man is sexy as sin with a body to match - and he'll go to any extreme to please her...Sensual and flamboyant, Candy Masterson has never made a secret of her love for sex and the male physique. But until TV Louis came into her life, she didn't think she'd find a man who could satisfy her every need - and he just so happens to live in her apartment complex. How convenient. Sheet-scorching sex and torrid romance, coming right up..

Want this? I thought I would do a fun contest....the longer it goes on, the harder it will get.

Jodi Lynn Copeland is an author with three names, much like Jayne Ann Krentz. Name other three name authors and you cannot use Jodi or Jayne as an example. lol You must be "first" and not copy another poster. They get dibs first.

Sundray night I will pull the name of the winner out an announce it.

USA and Canada residents only.  They mst be real authors. Yes, I will be checking. ;-)

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

A Perfect 10:

A LITTLE BIT WILD – Victoria DahlZebra
A Perfect 10
ISBN-13: 978-1-4201-0483-7
August 2010
Historical Romance

Lincolnshire, England – 1847

Sometimes being A LITTLE BIT WILD can have life changing repercussions. Bored and a little tipsy from wine at her family’s first house party of the season, Marissa York is tired of simply flirting and foolishly gives up her virginity to Peter White. Decidedly lackluster and over almost before it begins, Marissa tries to push him off so she can escape quickly; however, fate intercedes when her brother Edward, wondering why she was missing from the party, walks in to find Marissa indisposed and threatens to kill Peter. Peter, of course, has accomplished his goal and readily offers to marry Marissa, professing his undying love. Now very sober and in her right mind, Marissa is no longer attracted to her simpering suitor, and unequivocally insists that she’s not having anything to do with a wedding. But Edward knows his sister’s honor is at stake and means to take matters into his own hands…well, as soon as he passes on the bad news to his younger brother Aidan.

Aidan has changed after the death of his fiancée and spends his days angry or stonily silent, but the family has no choice but to include him in a possible solution. So while he glowers at Marissa for getting herself into such a silly and scandalous situation, his close friend, Jude Bertrand, intent on saving Marissa from herself, offers marriage. Jude’s mother is a courtesan who fell in love with a duke, so while he's technically a bastard, his father still recognizes him as his natural born son, making him respectable enough. To Jude it’s a no-brainer because he’s always liked Marissa and her feisty spirit, even though she’s never really noticed him before today. Marissa looks on in horror at this big, rugged man with his broad face and muscular thighs, and Jude simply stares at her with his arresting brown eyes giving her a sexy smile filled with promise. Uh oh…

Jude’s plan is to show Marissa the difference between the pretty boys she’s been playing with and a real man, and my goodness, he excels at it, wearing her down cleverly. He doesn’t mind her naughtiness and assures her she can talk to him about anything, encouraging her to be herself. Marissa doesn’t mince words as she tells Jude she doesn’t even like him, but when he reads one of her romance novels and talks intelligently about the plot, she starts to warm up just a little. Daring to speak about some of the sexual thoughts she’s had and he’s observed, including the “ogling of men’s legs,” Marissa is embarrassed, yet intrigued. It seems Jude can speak on just about any topic, including one of her favorites, gardening. If there are no ‘consequences’ from her act with Peter White, both agree that there will no need to wed. No, he may not be beautiful, but something about Jude is stirring and hot.

A LITTLE BIT WILD delivers a winning plot from Victoria Dahl that has me wondering why I’d never heard of her work before. Dahl’s writing is so effortless and emotionally grounded that she surely must have been born with pen in hand. In addition, she has a wicked sense of humor. When Marissa initially meets Jude, it’s clear that she is a little shallow and that’s the main point of the story. The rest of the cast, while small, play a pivotal role in what appears to be a match NOT made in heaven. Nevertheless, Jude’s deep sensuality and witty conversation have Marissa so twisted in knots she can’t help but be attracted. Aidan may not be as liberal as he thinks, as he subtly attacks Jude’s background, but deep down realizes he’s a hypocrite, with some serious issues of his own. Though a virgin until very recently, Marissa’s dalliances from the past creep up to bite her, creating havoc for everyone around her. Marissa’s mother is the drama queen you’ve seen on the screen, prone to fainting at the slightest hint of trouble, and she’s a hoot. So engaged in this compelling tale, I screamed, “NO!” when Marissa went too far and insulted Jude who has just been this incredible rock. Jude, realizing their backgrounds are too different, says goodbye and calls off the betrothal. He wants everything she has to give and doesn’t think she has it in her. I peeked inside this incredible soul who’s hurting, but still has his pride, and cried because I felt his pain. If that wasn’t enough, I was sobbing all over the pristine pages of the book when Marissa finally gets it, knowing how much she loves this complicated man, needing to fight to get him to stay, hoping it isn’t too late. Used to a quick ending from most of the romance novels on the market, I was pleased that A LITTLE BIT WILD continued to develop realistically, before coming to the stunning conclusion.

Laugh out loud, cry into your hanky, and leap head first into the joy of A LITTLE BIT WILD. Deserving of a Perfect 20, but since our highest rating only goes to 10, it will just have to do.

Allegra Alston

The winner is...

Congrats to Estella, who wins the copy of An Heir for the Millionaire!

Please email me at pattifischer@yahoo.com with your mailing info!

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Chat with Carly Phillips!!!

NY Times Bestselling author Carly Phillips joins us to discuss her latest book, KISS ME IF YOU CAN. Door Prize: TBA! Moderated by KatBos.

When? This Wednesday at 9:00pm Eastern time

Where? http://client0.addonchat.com/sc.php?id=102122 or go to www.romrevtoday.com and click on RRT Chat. Once the login screen loads, type your name and choose Mo's room from the chat room menu ;)

Hope to see you there for a fun time talking about HOTTT Bachelors ;)

Monday, August 09, 2010

A Perfect 10:

THE UNEXPECTED SON -- Shobhan Bantwal
A Perfect 10
Kensington Trade Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-7582-3203-8
August 2010
Contemporary Fiction

India and New Jersey - 1976 and the Present

Vinita Patil is leading the great American lifestyle with her husband and daughter in New Jersey. After twenty-four years of an arranged marriage, Vinita loves her husband and adores their daughter, and all is well in the world with her. And then one day an anonymous letter arrives from India with devastating news. Shattered after a phone call to her brother in their hometown of Palgaum in India, Vinita's life changes dramatically. As she prepares to fly to her birth country, Vinita reveals to her husband a long-dead secret that could threaten their marriage.

In Palgaum in 1976, two ethnic factions are in a political war with each other. The Marathi and Kannada have fought for control of the city, and, at times, the skirmishes are bloody and deadly. No self respecting Marathi girl like Vinita would be caught dead with a Kannada boy, and vice versa. So when the hero of the college cricket team, Som Kori, a Kannada, shows an interest in plain, quiet, studious Vinita, alarm bells should have gone off in her head. Instead, Vinita begins a clandestine relationship with Som, which ends only when she discovers she is pregnant. And Som makes it very clear that he will not marry her and that he wants her to get an abortion. Which is also what her distraught family would like her to do after her tearful admission. The family's standing in the community will plummet if Vinita's story gets out.

THE UNEXPECTED SON is a beautifully presented story of a mother's love. Vinita must make some extremely difficult decisions as both a teenager and later as an adult regarding the one mistake she made as a young woman. Later choices must be made, and many people are affected in both India and New Jersey, throwing Vinita into a place she never expected to be in her life.

This enchanting, heartbreaking, but uplifting tale was impossible to put down. Vinita's choices as a girl were few, and, as an adult, she realizes that her present day options are no easier to accept. A character driven tale, THE UNEXPECTED SON is richly peppered with descriptions of the middle class lives of the residents of Palgaum. Readers will smell the incense and envision the brilliantly colored clothing of the women. All in all, an extremely well written book that will grab you at page one.

Jani Brooks

Sunday, August 08, 2010

Book Giveaway:

An Heir for the Millionaire by Carole Mortimer and Julia James
Harlequin Presents
Aug 2010

Two gorgeous men called Xander…

Two proud fathers about to claim their heirs!

The Greek and the Single Mom by Julia James

For Greek tycoon Xander Anaketos only money talks, and when he breezes back into Claire's life, he wants her back in his bed. But what will he do when he discovers his impoverished ex-mistress is also the loving mother of his child?

The Millionaire's Contract Bride by Carole Mortimer

Impossibly rich Xander Fraser wants struggling single mother Casey Bridges to be his bride…of convenience! Casey knows their marriage can never be real, but that doesn't stop her falling for her new husband….

Post away to enter for a chance to win a copy of this book.

US and Canada residents only. Wiinner announced Wed night.

Good Luck!

New Reviews Posted at Romance Reviews Today

Volume 8, Issue 1, August 1, 2010

Romance Reviews Today – The best reviews on the web!

JULY 2010 Contest Winners

Courtesan’s Kiss by Mary Blayney & Barely a Lady by Eileen Dreyer
Demon Blood by MelJean Brook & Unchained by Sharon Ashwood

Daring a Duke by Claudia Dain & Twice Tempted by a Rogue by Tessa Dare

Tempting Eden by Margaret Rowe & Unbridled by Beth Williamson (Erotic)

AUGUST 2010 Contest
My Dangerous Duke by Galen Foley & Claimed by a Scottish Lord by Melody Thomas

The Brazen Bride by Stephanie Laurens & Infamous by Suzanne Brockmann

Rapture Untamed by Pamela Palmer & Blind Spot by Nancy Bush

Erotic Prize:
Need Me by Shelli Stevens & Wolf Tales 10 by Kate Douglas

See the Contest page for entry instructions.

See the Contest page for entry instructions.

New reviewers wanted. Contact Terrie – Please include a sample review in your email.

Limited number of review openings – get your request for review in early. Review Policy – 60 days advance notice. No Exceptions! Late requests will be considered on a time and space available. When requesting a review please include the following information:
Title, Author, Publisher, Release Date, ISBN, Genre, ARC Format (i.e. electronic or print if electronic please include PDF page count.)

All interviews will be posted on the blog and archived to the site at a later date. (Contact Terrie or Patti to schedule your interview.)

Advertising is available on the home page beginning in May. Please see Author Service page at romrevtoday.com for pricing information.

Chats – All chats begin at 9 pm eastern. Check out the RRT Blog for the most current author chat schedule. Open Forum with Scheme on Monday, Author Chat’s with Crazy Mo on Wednesday, and Friday Nights with Patti. Don’t miss the chats they are informative and fun!

New reviews this issue: 39 – (includes 7 Erotic reviews)

Contemporary Fiction
A PIGGLY WIGGLY WEDDING – Robert Dalby - Deborah
A SCATTERED LIFE –Karen MacQuestion – Marilyn
OUTSIDE THE ORDINARY WORLD – Dori Ostermiller – Diana
PERFECT BLEND – Sue Margolis – Diana
THE UNEXPECTED SON – Shobhan Bantwell – A Perfect 10 – Jani
VENOM – Joan Brady – Kathy

Contemporary Romance
DANCE FOR THREE – Berengaria Brown – Holly – Erotic Short Story
KISS ME IF YOU CAN – Carly Phillips – Patti
TEMPESTUOUS – Nicole Austin – Jennifer - Erotic

TWO LOVERS FOR MOLLY – Lynn LaFleur – Lavender Lace, Book 3 – Jennifer – Erotic

DIVINE MISDEMEANORS – Laurell K. Hamilton – Merry Gentry series, Book 8 Kathy

Fantasy Romance
BOYFRIEND IN A BOTTLE – Shona Husk – Maggie – Erotic Short Story
DANTE 1 – S.J. Willing – PIACT Undercover Agents, Book 3 – Maggie – Erotic Sci Fi/Fantasy

Historical Fiction

THE SCARLET CONTESSA – Jeanne Kalogridis – Robin

Historical Romance

A KISS AT MIDNIGHT – Eloisa James – Jane

A LITTLE BIT WILD – Victoria Dahl – A Perfect 10 – Allegra
CAPTURED BY DESIRE – Kira Morgan – Vicki
LAST NIGHT’S SCANDAL – Loretta Chase – A Perfect 10 – Jani
LIBERTINE’S KISS – Judith James – Vicki
RUTHLESS - Anne Stuart – House of Rohan, Book 1 – Vicki
SWEPT AWAY BY A KISS – Katharine Ashe – Jani
WICKED INTENTIONS – Elizabeth Hoyt – Maiden Lane Series, Book 1 – Jane

ROAST MORTEM – Cleo Coyle –A Coffehouse Mystery Book, Book 9 – Jennifer
STOLEN – Jordan Gray – A Blackpool Mystery, Book 1 – Diana

Paranormal Fiction
FROSTBITTEN – Kelley Armstrong – Women of the Otherworld, Book 7 – Kathy

Paranormal Romance
DAMAGE CONTROL – Amy J. Fetzer – Dragon One Series, Book 5 – Carolyn
FALCON’S CAPTIVE – Vonna Harper – Jennifer – Erotic
I MARRIED A DRAGON – Beverly Rae – Para-Mates, Book 2 – Maggie – Erotic
SINS OF THE HEART – Eve Silver – Otherkin Series, Book 1 – Marilyn
TIGER BY THE TAIL – Shelly Munro – Middlemarch Mates, Book 9 – Jennifer – Erotic
WARRIOR’S HEART – Bianca D’Arc – Gifts of the Ancients, Book 1 – Maggie
WATER BOUND – Christine Feehan – Sea Haven, Sisters of the Heart, Book 1 – Jennifer
WOLF’S CROSS – S.A. Swann – The Wolfbreed, Book 2 – Lenore

Romantic Suspense
DESPERATE DEEDS – Dee Davis – A-Tac, Book 3 – Jennifer
INFAMOUS – Suzanne Brockmann – A Perfect 10 – Carolyn
THE RELUCTANT PRINCE – Candice Gilmer – Maggie

Series Romance

PRINCE CHARMING OF HARLEY STREET/ THE HEART DOCTOR AND THE BABY – Anne Fraser/Lynne Marshall – Mills and Boons Medical Romance – Diana – Double Book

DEADLY FEAR – Cynthia Eden – The Deadly Series, Book 1 - Diana

Terrie Figueroa Owner/Webmistress Romance Reviews Today

Friday, August 06, 2010

The winner is...

...of NIGHTWALKER by Heather Graham is won by Tetewa!!

Please email me at pattifischer@yahoo.com by 8/14/10 with your mailing address.

Thursday, August 05, 2010

Spotlight Review:

A Shelter Bay Novel
ISBN: 978-0-451-23067-6
July 2010
Romantic Suspense

Shelter Bay, Oregon; the Present

It's hard being the younger brother of a perfect son; perhaps that's why Sax Douchett became something of a rebel. After high school, he joined the Navy and became a SEAL. Now this sexy bad boy is back in town, and the town proclaims him a hero. They are even giving him a welcome-back parade. Sax would just as soon forget his time in Afghanistan...if only the ghosts of his buddies would let him. But he'll go along for his mother's sake. The Douchett family was never short on love.

After losing her husband and then her father, Kara Conway returned to Shelter Bay to take over her father's job as sheriff. She and her eight-year-old son now live with her doctor mother. Not much crime takes place in the sleepy coastal village of Shelter Bay, so an old human bone found on the beach just might prove interesting. And so might its finder, Kara's old friend and schoolmate Sax Douchett, with whom she once made a brief connection.

Sax always had a thing for Kara, but his honor would never let him make a move on a friend's girl, especially when that friend asked him to look after that girl when he and Sax's brother left to join the Marines. Long suppressed yearnings resurface on meeting Kara again. With her son Trey still mourning his father, Kara is wary about letting him get close to someone with Sax's reputation with women.

Kara and Sax share more than their common childhood environment; they both suffer feelings akin to survivor's guilt, though using that label over simplifies their deep and complex emotions. Perhaps they would be good for each other...

JoAnn Ross is an excellent writer. She knows how to create and illuminate characters, major and minor. In THE HOMECOMING, the town comes to life, and Sax's and Kara's backstories are revealed until we know them thoroughly, quirks and all. The book is not short on plot, either. It blends romance and mystery—I should make those words plural as secondary plotlines are woven into the main story—with good humor and suspense.

THE HOMECOMING—a spin-off of the author's High Risk series—is guaranteed to capture and hold onto your imaginations. Fortunately, there is more to come in the Shelter Bay series.

PS ~ You can take a virtual tour of Shelter Bay at this fun website: www.joannross.com.

Jane Bowers

Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Book Giveaway:

NIGHTWALKER by Heather Graham
Out now!

Jessy Sparhawk has seen firsthand how gambling can ruin people's lives. But one night, desperate for money, she places the bet that will change her life forever. Just as she's collecting her winnings, a man stumbles through the crowd, a knife protruding from his back, and crashes into her, pinning her to the craps table. Hired to investigate the murder, private detective Dillon Wolf finds himself fascinated by the gorgeous redhead who'd been trapped beneath the victim—and by the single word the dying man had whispered in her ear. Indigo. What neither of them realizes is that the nightmare is only just beginning. Because bodyguard Tanner Green may have been killed by that knife, but his angry ghost isn't going anywhere—not without vengeance. Now, literally caught between the living and the dead, Dillon and Jessy have no choice but to forge ahead together. Their investigation will take them from the glitz of the Vegas strip into the dealings of casino magnate Emil Landon, the man who signs both their paychecks, and out into the desert to a ghost town called Indigo, where past and present come together in a search for gold. Years ago, blood was shed on that very ground, and now it looks as if history is about to repeat itself, with the living and the dead facing off for possession of a fortune, and Dillon and Jessy fighting not only to stay alive but for the chance to build a future.

Easy to enter...just post once and I will put your name into the hat to win this. One entry per person and only open to US and Canada addresses.

Winner to be drawn Friday.

Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Chat Wednesday night with...Annette Blair!

Crazy Mo is hosting Annette Blair at http://www.romrevtoday.com/ chat room beginning at 9:00 PM EST for one hour. Be sure to join us for some lively chatting and information about Annette's latest releases.

Pictures from the conference......

Last week I attended the Romance Writers of America conference in Orlando, Florida. It was hot and humid, but these authors certainly proved it was cooler to be indoors. If you want to see your favorite romance authors, then there's a good chance they were in attendance here. Coolest moment for me? A hug from Sherrilyn Kenyon. Second coolest moment? Meeting Sandi from Fresh Fiction. (Sorry, Sandi, that you weren't first!)

Anyway, I thought I'd share a few pictures.
Enjoy! Next year the conference is in NYC, just before the 4th of July.

Toni Blake. Her book, SUGAR CREEK, was one of the free books given away at the RWA conference to registered attendees.

Terri Brisbin writes for Kensington Brava and Harlequin Historical. Her newest release is THE MERCENARY's BRIDE.

Bonnie Edwards writes steamy erotic romance for Kensington Aphrodisia. Her upcoming release is MEN TIMES THREE and is out in October 2010.

Finally, a view of the hotel lobby:

Monday, August 02, 2010

Spotlight Review:

COLD SIGHT - Leslie Parrish
Extrasensory Agents, Book 1
Signet Eclipse
ISBN-10: 0-451-23074-4
ISBN-13: 978-0-451-23074-4
July 2010
Romantic Suspense

Granville and Savannah, Georgia - Present Day

Some people think quaint small towns like Granville are the perfect place to raise a family, safe from the horrors of the cities—some people are wrong. Seventeen-year-old Vonnie Jackson knows the truth; raised by an addicted prostitute mother, she’s seen more horror than most will ever face. Despite that, she’s managed to ensure her escape by studying hard and earning scholarships. Freedom is just a breath away, and then life proves once again that there is no escape, for Vonnie has just become the captive of the serial killer Granville thinks is a myth, the Ghoul.

Lexie Nolan, a reporter for the Granville Daily Sun, is convinced that the disappearances of more than ten local girls over the past three years are the work of a serial killer. Given free rein by her boss, Walter, she poured her heart and soul into investigating the story, hoping to spur the local yokels running the police department to take notice and do something. But when she’s shut down by the mayor and the police chief, ridiculed and made to look a fool in front of the whole town, Lex has no choice but to give it up or lose her job. Then Vonnie disappears, and unlike the other girls, she’s got a connection to the good side of town, attending their school in an attempt to better prepare for college. So, when Walter gives her the go-ahead to reopen her investigation and suggests she contact Aidan McConnell, a psychic from Savannah who moved to Granville a year or so ago, she’s determined to get the grouchy (and unfortunately for her peace of mind, sexy) man to help, even if she doesn’t believe in his woo-woo abilities.

After his last case ended in the death of the child he was trying to help the Savannah Police Department find, Aidan was crucified by the media. They had no idea he didn’t need their help to feel responsible; he already blamed himself for the boy’s death. Determined to never again be responsible for another child’s life, he moved to Granville and became a recluse. Then Lexie, a member of the lying, manipulative media, comes to his home determined to get his aid in Vonnie’s case. He’s determined to resist, but when he recognizes the missing girl as a waitress he met weeks before, he can’t help but take an interest. It’s got absolutely nothing to do with how attractive the stubborn spitfire of a reporter on his doorstep is.

The race is on to catch a killer and, hopefully, save Vonnie. However, in a town where most everyone wears a friendly face, there’s more than one person hiding a deadly secret. Can Lex and Aidan discover the truth before the Ghoul strikes again, this time in a much more personal way?

Aidan is a prominent author, speaker, and expert on psychic phenomenon, but when his own COLD SIGHT failed to save a boy, he lost his passion for justice, and his self-confidence suffered. He’s definitely an abrasive jerk of a man when Lex meets him, but something about her starts to bring out the old Aidan, the charming, brilliant man who will do everything in his power to save an innocent. In all actuality, Lex is the least likely person to bring him out of his shell; her job alone makes her the enemy. However, her inability to keep her thoughts from spilling out, making her a blunt, but refreshingly open person, makes her honesty apparent. She’s a determined woman, and once they spend some time together, it becomes obvious that, odd couple or not, this pair is destined to mean something to each other.

Joining the investigation are Aidan’s former co-workers, the members of eXtreme Investigations (an agency of psychic detectives); Julia (the boss who talks to ghosts); Derek (can see crimes as reenactments); Liv (she feels the last moments of a victim’s life and she’s the focus of book two, COLD TOUCH, arriving in April 2011), and Mick (who can tell an object’s history by touching it). Also prominently featured are: Walter Kirby (Lex’s boss and father figure) and his family; Chief Dunston (the inept, or maybe just uncaring police chief), and more than a few of the other Granville residents. There are plenty of suspects in this story, but you’ll be wondering right up until the end just who the Ghoul is; I promise you’ll be surprised.

If you’re looking for a story that’ll hold you in its grip from start to finish, you’ve come to the right place. Leslie Parrish has proven once again that when it comes to romantic suspense, she’s at the top of her game. COLD SIGHT is a can’t miss read. Get your copy today, as they’re certain to fly off the shelves.

Lori Ann

Winner is.....

Well, I'm back from Orlando, but enough of that, because I know you're probably more interested in who won the $25 gift certificate.

The winner is.............. PIXIE13

Congrats and email me at pattifischer@yahoo.com with your name and what you want: Amazon, BN, Fictionwise or Walmart.

Thanks to everyone who entered and I will be choosing the questions and sending them on to Carly's PR person.


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Type: response

text:
I temporarily reopened Middle Earth Journal when Newshoggers shut it's doors but I was invited to Participate at The Moderate Voice so Middle Earth Journal is once again in hiatus.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Iraq - what now?

David Ignatius has a decent analysis of the situation in Iraq. Things have improved but.....
But what accounts for these welcome changes? That's where we need to be careful. This isn't an American victory over a well-defined adversary; it's not that kind of war. And Iraqis aren't showering their American liberators with flowers now any more than they were in April 2003. A more complicated set of factors is at work, and it's worth examining two of them carefully.
The first of these factors is that al-Qaeda in Iraq is being defeated but Ignatius notes correctly that they defeated themselves and they know it.
Even Osama bin Laden understands that al-Qaeda has stumbled badly in Iraq. In an Oct. 22 audiotape that attracted too little notice at the time, bin Laden scolded his followers for tactics that alienated Iraqis. "Mistakes have been made during holy wars," he said. "Some of you have been lax in one duty, which is to unite your ranks."

Bin Laden's self-criticism was "possibly the most important message" in al-Qaeda's history, wrote Abdel Bari Atwan, an Arab journalist who has interviewed bin Laden and written an insightful biography. "It is the first time that bin Laden recognizes the error committed by the members of his organization and in particular the excesses committed in Iraq."
And then there is Iran.
Second, the recent security gains reflect the fact that Iran is standing down, for the moment. The Iranian-backed Mahdi Army of Moqtada al-Sadr has sharply curtailed its operations. The shelling of the Green Zone by Iranian-backed militias in Sadr City has stopped. The flow of deadly roadside bombs from Iran appears to have slowed or stopped. And to make it official, the Iranians announced Tuesday that they will resume security discussions in Baghdad with U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker.

I suspect the Iranians' new policy of accommodation is a tactical shift. They still want to exert leverage over a future Iraq, but they have concluded that the best way to do so is to work with U.S. forces -- and speed our eventual exit -- rather than continue a policy of confrontation. A genuine U.S.-Iranian understanding about stabilizing Iraq would be a very important development. But we should see it for what it is: The Iranians will contain their proxy forces in Iraq because it's in their interest to do so.
So what does this mean in terms of the ultimate goal of the Bush/Cheney administration and the neocons - a permanent occupation and control over Iraq's oil resources? Here the picture is not so rosy. While violence is down the majority still see the US forces as occupiers and as the enemy. The Iraqi government has made it clear that they want no part of the so called "oil sharing bill" which in effect turns over the control and the profit of Iraq's resources to western oil companies. The majority of Iraqis, both Shiite and Sunni see the United States as an enemy. The most important paragraph in Igantius' commentary is this:
As a caution against over-enthusiasm about the surge, it's useful to consider what happens in a "draw play" in football. Defensive linemen go charging toward the quarterback, congratulating themselves on evading the blockers, when suddenly the opposing running back races past, and they realize, "Oops! We've been suckered." A Syrian analyst draws a similar picture of what's happening now in Iraq. He notes that former insurgents are regrouping and forming alliances among Sunni and Shiite militias that oppose the United States. "This will be known as the era of deception," warns my Syrian friend.

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description: Wide crawl of the web for March 2017
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Sunday, March 11, 2012

Jack Abramoff: Ron Paul is Incorruptible

THE STATE COLUMN | March 11, 2012
Jack Abramoff, a former lobbyist and businessman, has a very high opinion of Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul. Mr. Abramoff, who made an appearance on “The Power Hour” with Joyce Riley last week, was convicted in 2006 on charges of fraud, corruption and conspiracy.

As Mr. Abramoff discussed the pressure lobbyists can place on lawmakers, the former lobbyist noted that “Ron Paul was just never somebody that you went to lobby.” Mr. Abramoff added that Mr. Paul typically “agreed with you already. You’d go in and say ‘look, would you get more active on it,’ but otherwise there was just no chance of lobbying Ron Paul.”

Mr. Abramoff’s assessment of Mr. Paul is especially relevant in the 2012 presidential race as congressional ethics are still at the forefront of the American political scene. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, for example, faced an ethics investigation in the 1990s and eventually received a reprimand and a $300,000 penalty.

Although Mr. Paul is generally considered to be above suspicion, Roll Call slammed the former Air Force surgeon in February for receiving reimbursement from taxpayer cash and campaign funds for trips between his congressional district and Washington DC. Roll Call cited public records and documents as it made the case that Mr. Paul received thousands of dollars in excess payments for his trips.

Regardless of the validity of Roll Call’s story, Mr. Abramoff is convinced that a lawmaker like Mr. Paul is very rare in the halls of Congress. “He’s the kind of congressman who the founders had in mind when this country was founded.”

Quoting a conversation that she had had with Mr. Paul in 2006, Ms. Riley said that the Texas congressman told her that “If I run for president, it will only be because I think it is the last ditch effort to save this country.”

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Thursday, May 05, 2011

Quiz Bowl to compete in Battle of the Brains

Staff Writer

    During the five competitions that the Quiz Bowl team participated in, they were against kids their same age, fire against fire.

    But on May 19, we’ll see how they perform against adults!  Yes, finally, Quiz Bowl might actually be outnumbered!

    This competition will be held at East, so anybody can come to this brawl.  This will consist of seven different teams, three of which have already had Quiz Bowl experience.  6th, 7th, and 8th graders will all be separated to different teams, while the other four teams have Alumni Quiz Bowl members (high-schoolers that joined Quiz Bowl in middle school), parents, business partners (those of which help sponsor the school), and teachers from East.

    Several rounds will be run, pairing different groups of two teams, until all but one team is eliminated.

    The winning team will be given the Nobel East Prize, a trophy meant for a winner.

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Thursday, August 20, 2009

Counting My Blessings!!!!

Well not much of a stitchy post today. I have been stitching this week on exchange pieces so no photos. Tomorrow I am bringing out And Thy Sinned for a week.
I am counting my blessings today because a tornado ripped through our town last evening!! I was home by myself and did not even know really except for some hard rain and the lose of power shortly there after. My DH got home and said something blew through because there where trees down then our DS called he had got a call from one of his fraternity brothers that live an hour away that had heard that something had gone through and our town and wanted to see if we where all right. The tornado did most of the damage in the downtown area about 5 blocks from our DD and her boyfriend. I am so thankful that it appears no one was injured.
If any one is in the area of Needles Nest in Mishawaka, IN this Saturday let me know. I am planning on heading over that way.
Until next time
May you be blessed with stitches,

Pat Winter said...

Karol, I think I have been to Needle's Nest once. If it is the store I am thinking of, I am green with envy right now. What a selection of threads. WOW!!!
Glad you are alright. We weren't hit either, just rain. What a mess. It hit one block from where I will be painting..on Indiana Ave.

Lelia said...

Karol: Good to know you (and family) are ok. That storm did monster damage where it hit : (

Take care & enjoy Saturday. Think of me for next time

Cathy B said...

These must have been the same storms that hit Minneapolis on Wednesday!

Glad you and your family were spared!


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Art by Eve Once Upon a Skein

Eve of Art by Eve is an indy dyer and fiber artist. She hand dyes lovely yarns and fibers and felts beautiful shawls, scarves, pot holders and other items from her family farm in Wilsonville. New just for the Rose City Yarn Crawl are gradient kits in her line of Once Upon a Skein–a fingering weight washable wool. Eve’s Once Upon a Skein are Hand dyed yarns inspired by fairy tales using USA raised fibers. Other yarns and unique, hand dyed sock blanks will also be introduced at the crawl.

You’ll find Eve in the Brooklyn Inn and Suites, 3717 SE Milwaukie. This building is off the same parking area as our shop and shares a walkway with our building on the west side. Least amount of steps will be by entering from the Rhone Street side. Maps will be provided.

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Friday, January 23, 2009

Another Sunset - Beautiful.....

No words to explain the beauty of God creation. Just stare and appreciate every moments of it and feel the peace and joy in our heart......

Thursday, January 22, 2009

New Species of Giant Rat

Since i don't have a chance to go into the forest and doing observations by myself, i am searching for any news on animals that interests me. In my previous posts, World's Largest Extinct Rodent i found an interesting findings on the largest rats with weigh ~700 kilograms. However, it was an extinct species, so how about the alive giant rats?

A giant rat was recorded by scientists as probable new species to science on their expedition to Indonesia's remote and virtually unknown "Lost World" in the pristine wilderness of western New Guinea's Foja Mountains.

The giant rat was about five times the size of a typical city rat as per Dr. Kristofer Helgen, as Scientist with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. This rat have no fear of human and apparently came into the camp several times during the trip.

Photo Courtesy: Conservation International

The photo shows the mammal expert Martua Sinaga holds a 3-pound (1.4 kg) rat.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

World's Largest Extinct Rodent

I surf around in the internet trying to find the largest rodents in the world and end up with the extinct species of rat.

The world's largest rodent, Phoberomys pattersoni claimed to be more like a giant guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) rather than an oversize house rat (Rattus rattus). This species was reported to be the largest rodent that ever existed, although it has been known only from isolated teeth and fragmentary postcranial bones. The weigh (body mass) was estimated ~700 kilograms, more than 10 times the mass of the largest living rodent, the capybara. Fuh...i can't imagine that size of rat.

Almost 700 kilograms and if i look at it i will also think it is a guinea pig and not a rat. If it is still alive, i will not dare to come close to it. This finding was really interesting and it is really really big animal (especially for a rat).

However, the Phoberomys was most likely a herbivore and Marcelo Sanchez-Villagra, a paleontologist at the University of Turbingen in Germany doubt it was a pest.

Read more at: Science Magazine and National Geographic

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

My First Award

Ratty from The everyday Adventurer listed me in his Eleven Award Winners for the "Honest Scrap Award. This is the first award that i have won since i created this blog April 2007. So, i would like to thank him for giving me this award. Link to his post: My Honest Scarp Award.

Here are the rules for the Honest Scarp Award:

The honorees are to:

A) List 10 honest things about yourself - and make it interesting, even if you have to dig deep!

B) Pass the award on to 7 Bloggers that you feel embody the spirit of the Honest Scarp.

Ten Honest Things About Me:
  1. Insurance agent is my first job after graduated in Conservation Biology for my bachelor degree.
  2. I am jobless for about 2 months after my third job as a temporary secondary school teacher.
  3. I really love to laugh and smile.
  4. I am "boyish" type of girl.
  5. I love music but i don't know how to sing correctly following the rhythm. hahaha...
  6. I have guitar since 1999 but until today i still can not play any songs...:((
  7. I have my first international passport last week.
  8. I don't like botany and i failed my botany course during my bachelor degree.
  9. I climb Mount Kinabalu, Sabah in year 2000 and for that trip i was the third climbers that reach the peak at 4.15am...Yehaa...i am too excited.
  10. What is my last? Think..think..think....mmmm....I love to drink coffee....
Okay..that is ten honest things about me. I am not sure if i play this right but i still want to participate. So, now i have to pass this award to another seven person that i think deserve this award.

My Seven Award Winner:
  1. aD
  2. Joe
  3. Christie Lynn
  4. Bibianna
  5. William H. Balzac
  6. Belden
  7. Mary Moss
Hmm...i think i am done with this award so i hope the seven people that i give this award will participate but no rush friends. Take your time. It takes me three days to think what should i write in this posts too.

Monday, January 19, 2009

The Smallest Mammals of The World

During my presentation on Saturday, i still remember the audience asking me about the largest and the smallest small mammals in the world. I don't have the answer for that question so i didn't give them the accurate answer about that. So, i am not feeling good about it. Therefore, i try to find the information about this fact.

As i browse through the article and some other websites that i found using Google search, there was information about it.

The smallest mammal in the world is the tiny bat weighs less than 2 grams. Its body is about the size of a large bumble-bee, hence the common name "bumble-bee bat". The bumble-bee bat Craseonycteris thonglongyai was first discovered in 1973, it was until recently only known from a small population of approximately 2,300 individuals restricted to the catchment area of the River Kwai, Thailand. The bumble-bee bat is categorized as Endangered on the IUCN Red List where the main threats are from burning of the forest areas near the limestone caves in which it lives.

For more information do visit this site: EDGE and Cambridge Journals Online.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Public Talk on Small Mammals

I have to give a public talk on small mammals study that i have done in Planted Forests Project in Bintulu. What can i say about this talk? I am not well prepared, i think. I only have less than two days to make a preparation and i really screwed it up.

It was about 30+ people attend my talk and it makes me more nervous. I was trying to send a message about small mammals conservation since people always think of small mammals as a pests. However, i don't think i give an informative presentations because i was a little bit blank and out of focus during the presentations. The truth is my power point presentations only complete an hour before the talk. So...i am not ready! Huhuhu...It's okay.

This is some of my friends that attend my talk and some of them are Sarawak Natural Science Society club members.

I would like to thanks all of them that supports my talk yesterday.


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the weekly spark: host an end of year personal summit

It’s that time of year where the crush of so many things—end of school holiday programs, gift shopping, wrapping, baking, decorating, merry making, thank you note writing, end of year donating, etc- begins to feel like too much and your chest is tight and your stomach is kinda floppy and now I am about to add one more thing to your list with this week’s Weekly Spark.

But this weekly spark, I promise, should be fairly interesting and has the potential to give you some powerful perspective, create for you a blueprint of what works and doesn’t, and allow you to start next year with the most powerful of intentions.  So even if you can’t squeeze this one in THIS WEEK, do squeeze it in this year.

So now that I have built it up, what exactly is this week’s spark?  Well, it’s an End of Year Personal Summit, a fancy way to say that I want you to sit down and do some reflecting on this past year and how it went.  The joys and challenges it brought you, what you learned, and what you might do with that learning.  The EYPS is all about ending your year intentionally so that you can start the new year on purpose.  Ready to begin?  Here is how to hold your summit of one.

Step 1:  Schedule it and prepare.  Summits don’t happen without some effort.  So schedule some time on your calendar for this one.  30 minutes might work and an hour is more than enough.  Choose a time of day and a day of the week when you are going to be your sharpest, especially given upcoming travel and celebrations.  Also gather what you need.  You might want your calendar from this past year, your vision board, your camera or photo file of photos you took this past year, a journal from this pas year (if you keep one), some blank paper and pens.  You could also go further and get some pensive music or a candle ready.

Step 2:  Go radio silent.  When the time comes for your summit, turn on the do not disturb feature on your phone, turn away from the internet, and hang a literal or figurative Do Not Disturb sign on the door of the space where you are working and on the door of your mind (to warn those superfluous thoughts to go busy themselves for awhile).

Step 3:  Go back.  The first official step in your summit is just surveying the scene, reviewing the past year.  Flip through your photos.  Go through your calendar, to do lists, journals.  Make notes about things that strike you, what makes you smile, what ideas come to you, what you are reminded of from the year, any inspiration you have.

Step 4:  Ask and answer.  Now, it is time to ask yourself some questions.  Enjoy these questions; don’t stress about them or overthink them.  If you are stuck on one, skip it and then come back to it later.  One to a few sentence answers are just fine and your first instinct is great.

Describe yourself at the beginning of 2012.

What are five words that describe 2012?

Recall 2012. What are three images that pop into your head?

What did you do this year that you had never done before?

What dates/experiences from this year will remain etched in your memory and why?

What was your biggest challenge?

What was your biggest triumph?

What are three to five great things you did in 2012?

What are some important things you stopped doing?

What are some important things you started doing?

What are five words you would use to describe yourself?

Describe yourself now.

Step 5: Learn Your Lesson.  So I am a firm believer that life keeps handing you the lesson that you need to learn until you learn it.  Fail to learn the lesson the first time it shows up for you and life will turn up the volume, making things a big more uncomfortable.  Ignore it again?  More discomfort.  On and on until it is just way too uncomfortable not to learn the lesson.  But here’s the thing.  It doesn’t have to be that hard or that uncomfortable. You can learn the lesson earlier and save yourself the later pain and trouble.  It’s just a matter of paying attention.

So what were your most valuable lessons this year that you want to take with you moving forward?  Make a list.

Step 6:  Store these notes for the new year.  In early January, I’ll be back with a new post to guide you in completing a New Year Personal Summit to get your new started with powerful intention.

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One response to “the weekly spark: host an end of year personal summit”

  1. claire

    Love this idea! Thank you for always finding new ways to guide us to live with intention.

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Why Addison Russell Is A Hands Off Option Form Me In 2016

by Eric Stashin (aka The Rotoprofessor)

Let’s preface this by saying that there is upside in Addison Russell, especially long-term. He played last season at 21-years old and showed promise, so in time there’s a good chance that he realizes his full potential. In 2016, however, it’s fair to be skeptical that he can get there (or reasonably close).

He certainly didn’t blow anyone away with his rookie season numbers:

475 At Bats
.242 Batting Average (115 Hits)
13 Home Runs
54 RBI
60 Runs
4 Stolen Bases
.307 On Base Percentage
.389 Slugging Percentage
.324 Batting Average on Balls in Play

Obviously the biggest issue is his average, and there’s ample reason to remain concerned despite his “improvement” in the second half (.259). It’s easy to point towards an improved strikeout rate, though no one is going to brag about a 25.8% mark (31.1% prior to the All-Star Break). He also showed no improvement in his Whiff% against Offspeed pitches or breaking balls throughout the season (only displaying months with at least 50 AB):

Overall he posted a 13.7% SwStr%, though it actually rose slightly to 13.8% in the second half (despite the drop in strikeouts). The struggles are justified given his age and relative lack of experience at the upper levels, but there is little reason to think that he’s going to fully figure it out quickly.

When you couple the likelihood of strikeouts with the line drive regression, there’s reason to be concerned about his average.

There is a little bit more speed than he showed last season as well as the potential for a little bit more pop (29 doubles, average distance on non-groundballs of 264.397), though neither is enough to move the needle. That’s not to say that he couldn’t go 15/10, with the potential for more, but the average risk prevents it from getting us overly excited.

According to Stats his current NFBC ADP is 139.40, which doesn’t seem particularly inflated. However that puts him ahead of Billy Burns (153.16), Raisel Iglesias (161.40), Michael Conforto (175.92) and a host of others who offer more upside and arguably less risk. You could argue he belongs in the same class as Joc Pederson (less power, but a different position), who is going nearly 40 picks later (176.56).

There’s a better chance that Russell hits .230 than .270, and without significant power or speed (yet) that’s not enough. Long-term would we love to own him? Absolutely, but given the cost/risk it’s highly unlikely he’s on any of my teams in 2016.

Sources – Fangraphs, Baseball Heat Maps, Brooks Baseball, CBS Sports, STATS

*** Want a chance to win a Noah Syndergaard autographed baseball, complete with a “Thor” inscription?  Find out how by clicking here!! ***

Make sure to check out all of our Top 10 Prospect Lists:

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  1. Jmax says:

    Prior to him reaching the MLB, all the scouting reports indicated that he would be a better baseball player than fantasy player and given all this information, that seems very true. He’s a great example of how the Mike Trout effect has changed fantasy baseball.

  2. ChrisL says:

    Great article…

    This season 12 team keeper league H2H, normal 5×5 with OBP instead of Avg; (keep 4):

    G. Cole
    M. Brantley
    C. Yelich
    R. Cano
    R. Braun
    L. Severino
    A. Russell
    H. Ramirez
    D. Peralta

    Thank you.

  3. Dave A W says:

    I find it funny how everyone is so in love with Seager this year but down on Russell. Let’s see, Seager has only a hand full of at bats against mlb pitchers while Russell spent pretty much a full season getting accustomed to the pros. Give me Russell iver Seager this year and in future years!

    • greg says:

      Seagers minor league numbers backup his brief MLB numbers… he’s never really had the high SO% that Russell had in the minors. That being said, i think Russell will improve but may take a bit longer. As for Seager – he might struggle a bit but all signs point him being very good.

      • MJ says:

        Do people really dig into numbers before commenting? Russels numbers the 2nd half of 2013 (A+) and the 2nd half of 2014 (AA) were terrific for one of the youngest players at those levels. 2nd half of 2013, 234 plate appearances he slashed .305/.425/.555 and had a so% of 27%. 2nd half of 2014, 203 plate appearances he slashed .294/.332/.536 and had a so% of 18%! He was 19 and 20 years old while doing that! He then made the jump all the way to the pros, played on playoff team, and very much held his own! Having watched almost everyone of his at bats last season I can also state that he not no favors in the batters box. I have never seen someone get called out on so many called third strikes that were clearly outside the zone! That should not happen as much going forward.

        I have nothing against Seager as I think he will also be a great player. But Russell is the superior defender and just as talented with the bat as Seager. I agree that Seager will have his striggles in 2015 as he learns the pitchers, while Russell should be able to take a big atep forward having a full year under his belt (in pressure games). My main concern on Russell are all of these minor injuries. He reminds me a bit of JD Drew in that respect.

  4. Justin says:

    I actually can’t believe Russell isn’t getting more hype. He played only 11 games at AAA, was the youngest regular in the NL, and has lots of power potential for a shortstop. I hope others are thinking like you Eric

  5. Rotoprofessor says:

    Dave A W – I would agree that Seager is getting slightly overvalued as well, though I do like his upside more.

    Justin – Sure there’s upside, I wouldn’t argue that, but you have to make contact to cash in on it. 15-20 HR, courtesy of a poor average, is hard to get excited about.

    • Steve says:

      Why do you think Russekl will have a low average? Do you think Seager will too? Nothing about Russell’s minir league numbers suggest a low average. He did improve every year as he adjusted to the league. And I agree with those that say he should be better positioned for a good year since he has a full season under his belt vs Seager he should struggle.

      • Jason says:

        I think a lot of it stems from the knowledge that he will be stuck in the 8th/9th spot either in-front of or behind a pitcher. That will kill his counting stats, but also hurt him as he will be pitched differently and rarely see a pitcher the 3rd or 4th time through, in which they generally get hit harder. So, he will face more power or filthy relievers.

      • Rotoprofessor says:

        His SwStr% alone, which “improved” as the season wore on but was still high, alone tells us that he could easily struggle with his average (as does his spot in the order, as Jason points out).

        As for Seager he’s not going to be a .330 hitter, I’d actually expect him more in the .265-.275 type range.

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Animals & Birds

WADEBRIDGE / 8th, 9th & 10th JUNE

Tickets Membership

Wandering around the cattle lines at the Royal Cornwall Show is one of the highlights for many visitors.

This is, after all, a "proper" agricultural show and when you can get this close to these beautiful and striking beasts - every one an ambassador for its breed - you realise why.

The animals themselves are hugely impressive. And to see how well they are cared for and the amount of work that goes into that care is also quite something to behold.

Outside you can see judging in progress and the grand parade is as magnificent a sight as you are likely to see.

Please note that due to health and safety considerations whilst significant numbers of animals are moving, access to various areas of the cattle halls will be restricted to exhibitors and officials wearing the correct wristbands.

This applies during judging on the first day and second morning of the show and during the grand parades on the afternoons of days two and three.

It is hoped that it will be possible to keep some areas open at times when those stock are not being moved.

This will depend on breed numbers exhibited and cattle hall layout. We apologise for any inconvenience suffered but of course during restricted periods, very large numbers of stock will be on show in the judging rings or main ring (during parades).


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Monday, October 26, 2009

No formal request yet for Miss Gould's hand

October 26, 1909

"There is no telling what may come to pass," states Col. Dosnop Chine, who is the aide-de-campe to Duke George of Leuchtenberg, and the close friend of George's son, Alexander.
The Colonel spoke to a New York Times reporter regarding press reports about a proposed marriage between Prince Alexander and the American heiress Marjorie Gould.
"But up to the present time, nothing at all has been settled regarding the marriage of Prince Alexander and Miss Gould. There has not even been a formal proposal made for her hand by the Prince's father, Duke George of Leuchtenberg. Should anything of this nature happen, I will immediately inform you. The young people have formed each other's aquaintaince. That is all I can tell you now, except that Mr. and Miss Gould express their intention when here of returning to Paris in January or February."
He added that neither Prince Alexander or Duke George have any plans to visit America. He "was expressly authorized by the Duke to deny the existence of a formal engagement between the Prince and Miss Gould."
The Duke of Leuchtenberg is a wealthy landowner in Russia, but "he would not sanction a marriage merely for love, and would insist that the Prince's bride must bring with her a fortune suitable to the rank of an Imperial Princess."
The marriage would also need to be approved by Nicholas II.

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Feisty Productions
Podcasts and programmes from Lesley Riddoch and the team at Feisty Productions
Lesley’s back in the hot seat for this week’s Riddoch Questions. She was joined by Stewart Hosie, Dundee East MP; David Pratt, foreign editor for the Sunday Herald and Rev David Robertson from St Peter’s Free Church in Dundee. The stories making the headlines this week, included: Afghanistan and a report from MPs which claims a lack of helicopters is costing soldiers’ lives; controversial Sunday ferry sailings in the Western Isles – the first boat is due to sail this weekend; Blair for President of Europe? And the return of the wrinkly rockers – Bruce Springsteen versus Chrissie Hynde.
Direct download: Stewart_Hosie_David_Pratt_Rev_Davi.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 12:55pm UTC


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Tag Archives: Fit in Clouds

Pretty in Pink

AT_Pink_Dress 6
Dress: Ann Taylor c/o / Heels: Franco Sarto, old (similar) / Bag: Longchamp
Bracelet: Loren Hope via Rocksbox / Earrings: David Yurman / Flats: Fit in Clouds c/o

This pink Ann Taylor dress is so pretty to wear — I had big plans to wear it to a bridal shower last month until my work travel plans changed and I sadly could no longer attend. Its perfect for a daytime event — bridal or baby shower, brunch, etc., but could also definitely be dressed up with the right accessories!

Speaking of accessories, my new obsession are my Fit in Clouds flats.  They come in several cute styles and fold up so I can keep them with me on days where I’m not wearing super friendly shoes.  I’ve already stashed a pair in my car, another in my purse, and a third in my work bag. I love my heels, but never again will I be stranded with achy feet!

Don’t forget! You can get a free month of Rocksbox (a $19 value!) using my code rulesforthemoderngirlxoxo at checkout!

AT_Pink_Dress 5 AT_Pink_Dress 1 AT_Pink_Dress 7 AT_Pink_Dress 8 AT_Pink_Dress 3


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Thursday , 23 March 2017

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About Syed Balal Rumy

A 27 year Tech Geek and a blogger from India ( Bihar ) , live in New Delhi. I am MCITP , CEHv8 , CCNA , CCNA Security , CCNP Security , Security + and CCSA certified. Loves to write tech articles based on my real experiences.

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QIAGEN Website    Quick Order    Online Seminar    Contact    My Account
Home  >  Products and Services  >  Copy Number  >  qBiomarker SYBR® Green mastermix

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  • Reliability: Maximizes amplification efficiencies.
  • Convenience: Specially formulated all-in-one mixes that match the instrument in your lab.

Learn how we developed the qBiomarker Mastermix

Unique Elements of qBiomarker Mastermix
Master mix quality plays a critical role in the performance of real-time PCR. The key to obtaining accurate results is a tightly-controlled hot start enzyme that eliminates the amplification of primer dimers and other secondary products. Antibody-based technologies have worked well in the past for most PCR applications. However, these enzymes too often "leak" and synthesize too many non-specific amplicons to meet the more rigorous and demanding standards set by QIAGEN for real-time detection of message transcripts. After years of experience in designing and experimentally testing thousands of PCR primers for entire genomes, QIAGEN has developed a qPCR master mix formulation that provides the most accurate real-time PCR results.

Unique HotStart Polymerase and Buffer Components
The qBiomarker Mastermix from QIAGEN offer superior specificity and amplification efficiency thanks to our high-quality chemically-modified HotStart Taq DNA polymerase. Hot start enzymes found in other sources of master mix, such as the antibody-based technologies, still retain residual activity in their "inactive" state at low temperature. Under these conditions, non-specific priming events are extended to form templates which are then amplified into non-specific products that artificially contribute to signal intensity, resulting in unnecessary false positive results. Our tightly controlled HotStart enzyme lacks any activity before being heated and therefore minimizes the amplification of non-specific PCR products.
The qBiomarker Mastermix formulations also include other proprietary chemical components that significantly minimize primer dimer formation ensuring high amplification efficiencies for even the most difficult to amplify genes.

All-in-One Master Mixes: Instrument Reference Dyes Included
The qBiomarker Mastermix are tailor-made and optimized for the specific real time system in your lab. These cost-effective all-in-one PCR master mixes not only contain optimized buffers, nucleotides, and our high-quality HotStart DNA polymerase, but they also include the appropriate reference dye specifically used by individual real time systems to normalize their optics. Just add your primer pairs and templates, and you're ready for PCR.

Complete your copy number experiments with qBiomarker Copy Number Assays, qBiomarker Copy Number PCR Arrays, with the appropriate qBiomarker Mastermix tailor-made to the instrument in your laboratory.

SYBR® is a registered trademark of Molecular Probes. ABI® is a registered trademark of Applied Biosystems. iCycler® is a registered trademark of BioRad Laboratories, Inc. SmartCycler® is a registered trademark of Cepheid Purchase of this product includes an immunity from suit under patents specified in the product insert to use only the amount purchased for the purchasers own internal research. No other patent rights are conveyed expressly, by implication, or by estoppel. Further information on purchasing licenses may be obtained by contacting the Director of Licensing, Applied Biosystems, 850 Lincoln Centre Drive, Foster City, California 94404, USA.


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