the latest from the blog

Meet 2012 Golden Heart Finalist Laurie Sanchez

Posted by May 17 2012, 12:01 am

Today the Rubies are thrilled to host Laurie Sanchez, 2012 Golden Heart finalist in Single-Title Contemporary with her novel EARNING WINGS. Laurie’s a homegirl for Nationals this year—she grew up so close to Disney, she watched the fireworks from her backyard every night at 9:30, and she currently lives in the town where they film The Real Housewives of Orange County. “The awesome thing,” says Laurie, “is that my mom, who’s a voracious reader and big romance fan, lives so nearby that we can attend the RWA book-signing event together. She’s so excited!”

 You can follow Laurie on Twitter at @mizwrite (https://twitter.com/#!/mizwrite).

 Laurie’s blog, http://mizwrite.com/, features her life with three teenagers and her own real-life hero, aka “Superman.” Laurie wrote their true-life love story in serial format one summer—G-rated because she knows her kids will read it—and you can swoon along at http://mizwrite.com/how-i-met-superman/.

Take it away, Laurie!!

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So Why Aren’t You?

Sign up for first Nationals – check. Sign up for agent-editor appointments – check. Design business cards – check. Put Golden Heart pin in drawer for safekeeping – check. …

I’m slowly working through my list of things to do as a newbie Golden Heart finalist. But honestly – between you and me – I can hardly believe it’s happening.

I started writing romance fiction about six years ago, mostly because Oprah told me to.

I was standing in the kitchen one afternoon, drying dishes, watching her afternoon television show while I listened for my youngest to come downstairs and ask where his tennis shoes were for the millionth time. I was a stay-at-home-mom-who-freelanced, happy with my job(s), happy with where I was, happy with everything – or so I thought. Until, that is, Oprah stood up that day from her yellow studio couch and asked her viewing audience to imagine, for a second, what they would be if they could be anything.

My dishtowel hardly missed a swipe. “A novelist,” I said into the quiet kitchen, putting a glass away into the cupboard. But then I sort of froze: Where had that come from?

I grabbed the next dish a little slower as Oprah left a dramatic pause. Then she turned to the camera and said, “So why aren’t you?”

My dishtowel dropped to my side. I turned toward the TV and stared. I stared at Oprah. I stared at the other audience members, who looked similarly stunned.

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15 Comments

Ruby Release – The Siren’s Song by Jennifer Bray-Weber

Posted by May 16 2012, 6:15 am in , , , , , ,

Pirates are a despicable lot known for pillaging and plundering, causing fear with their approach and leaving destruction in their wake. Theirs was a life of taking and giving nothing in return. Not to mention the drinking, wenching, and gluttony galore. Some might find it difficult to carve a hero out of someone so wretched. [...]

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27 Comments

Ruby Release: Pointe of No Return by Amanda Brice

Posted by May 15 2012, 12:01 am in , ,

Gotta Dance! or How Hobbies Sneak into Our Writing Today I’m wearing an old pair of battered pointe shoes and dancing on my toes as we celebrate the release of Amanda Brice’s young adult novel, Pointe of No Return. The second book in the Dani Spevak Mystery Series, Amanda’s latest novel for teens/tweens is a [...]

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58 Comments

Ruby Release: EDGE OF LIGHT

Posted by May 14 2012, 12:01 am

I have release day jitters. I didn’t think I would, but the closer this day came, the more I started worrying about that horrible thing called reader expectation. So, I figured I’d turn my angst into a discussion and find out what things influence you, as a reader, to pick up a book. Because, I [...]

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35 Comments

Meet 2012 Golden Heart Finalist Deborah Wright

Posted by May 11 2012, 12:01 am in , , , ,

Today we welcome Deborah Wright, 2012 Golden Heart Finalist in the Novel with Strong Romantic Elements category for her book THE LAZARUS GAMBIT. As a third grader, Deborah enraptured her classmates with installments from her first novel, Teddy Bear Invasion From Outer Space, but it wasn’t until 2002 (after a long, writing-free flirtation with computer [...]

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37 Comments

Meet 2012 Golden Heart Finalist Kathleen Bittner Roth

Posted by May 10 2012, 12:01 am in , ,

Today we’re delighted to welcome 2012 Golden Heart finalist Kathleen Bittner Roth, who is nominated in the Historical Romance category. Kathleen was born in Minnesota but has lived everywhere: Washington, Idaho, California, Texas, New York, and currently Budapest, Hungary. Fittingly, she has a lot of personas: she’s a certified hypnotherapist but also a former choirgirl [...]

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74 Comments

Waters Run Deep but It’s ALL About the Shoes

Posted by May 9 2012, 12:01 am in , , , , ,

Yes, Yes Yes! It’s another Ruby Release Day! And I’m hosting myself…just giving the sisters a well-deserved break because they’re tired of asking me about my inspirations and ideas and blah, blah, blah. This is my 6th release day on the Ruby Blog, and I’m not going to interview my characters or talk about how [...]

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66 Comments

Welcome Teen Author Spencer Brokaw!

Posted by May 8 2012, 12:01 am in , , , ,

When the Rubies heard about this amazing young man, we simply had to know more! Spencer Brokaw published his first book when he was twelve. Today, he is 13 and working on his next novel. Think about that, what were you doing at 12 and 13? As a homeschooling mom of six kids, I love [...]

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48 Comments

What’s So Fair About Fair Use?

Posted by May 7 2012, 12:03 am in ,

I often get questions from writers about their ability to use material in their writing that was obtained from other sources. Maybe you are writing a historical work and want to use other historical works as background. Perhaps your hero and heroine are slow dancing to a popular song, and you want to “show, not [...]

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15 Comments

Meet 2012 Golden Heart Finalist Mary Danielson

Posted by May 4 2012, 12:01 am in , , ,

Today, as part of our series introducing 2012 Golden Heart nominees, we welcome Mary Danielson, who is nominated in the YA category. Mary is a medical student and YA writer from Austin, TX. She has a deep and abiding love for pumpkin pie, Broadway musicals, and unrequited love stories. All of these things make an [...]

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57 Comments

Ruby Release: Superlovin’ by Vivi Andrews

Posted by May 3 2012, 12:01 am in , , , ,

I’m thrilled and delighted to host the release party for Superlovin’, the latest novella from Vivi Andrews. Vivi shared an advance copy of this book with me, and I ADORED it…and then kept trying to recommend it to people who were looking for things to read, only to be reminded that it still wasn’t out. [...]

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44 Comments


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Coming Soon on the Blog

May 21, 2012
by:
Meet 2012 Golden Heart Finalist Jan Nash

May 22, 2012
by:
Ruby Release: SCOTSMEN PREFER BLONDES

May 23, 2012
by:
Subrights Part 3: Film Rights

June 4, 2012
by:
Ruby Release: CHASE ME by Tamara Hogan

October 1, 2012
by:
Ruby Release: Last Chance Christmas

October 2, 2012
by:
Ruby Release: DEATH AND THE GIRL NEXT DOOR

October 30, 2012
by:
Ruby Release: FOURTH GRAVE BENEATH MY FEET

News & Events
Since the GH Call in 2009...

Vivi Andrews-Vivi writes paranormal romance for Samhain and is looking forward to the May 1st release of her thirteenth ebook, Superlovin’.

Anne Barton-won the 2011 Regency Golden Heart and sold.  WHEN SHE WAS WICKED releases Jan. 2013 from Grand Central Forever.

Anne Marie Becker-Anne Marie’s 2009 Golden Heart winner, Only Fear, was released by Carina Press September 5, 2011, and will be released in print by Harlequin’s Direct-to-Consumer program in July 2012. The second book in her Mindhunters series, Avenging Angel, will be released in late July 2012.

Tina Joyce Beckett-Tina received The Call in May 2011. Her debut book, Doctor’s Guide to Dating in the Jungle, will be published as a Harlequin Medical Romance and will be available in January 2012. In October, she sold her second Harlequin Medical Romance, Doctor’s Mile High Fling, which will come out in June 2012.

Liz Bemis-Since the 2009 GH, Liz finaled in the 2010 GH, completed manuscript #17 and has developed more than 50 websites as the creative director of Bemis Promotions. She has recently hired a fabulous assistant and hopes to have a free moment sometime between now and Christmas.

Shea Berkley-Shea Berkley has sold her 2010 Golden Heart finaling manuscript, Shattered, to Entangled Publishing in a three book deal.  She sold her Epic Fantasy story, Torrein: Age of Fear, to Variance Publishing.  The release date is November 2011. Go to www.sheaberkley.com for more details.

Jennifer Bray-Weber-Jennifer has published her 2009 Golden Heart manuscript now titled Blood and Treasure on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. The second novel  of her Romancing the Pirate series, A Kiss in the Wind, was released by Carina Press in March 2012. Her third novel, The Siren’s Song, is scheduled to be released through Carina Press in May 2012.

Shoshana Brown-Shoshana has sold two short romance stories to Woman’s World magazine.  She’s also a finalist in the YA category of the 2011 Golden Heart with UNDERHANDED.

Sharon Fisher-Sold 2009 finalist manuscript GHOST PLANET to Tor; Signed with agent Robin Rue of Writers House; was named a finalist for the 2010 Golden Heart Award; was named a finalist for the 2011 Golden Heart Award

Addison Fox-In addition to writing about her Zodiac warriors (her Taurus, Quinn, is going to get his comeuppance come May of 2011!), Addison is hard at work on a new contemporary trilogy for NAL set in Alaska. The first book - BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE - will be out in November 2011.

Rita Henuber-Her 2009 Golden Heart nominated book, Guardian Angel, will be published by Carina Press with a new title, UNDER FIRE, and released August 22, 2011.

Tamara Hogan-TASTE ME, the kickoff book in Tamara Hogan’s ”Underbelly Chronicles” urban fantasy series, was published by Sourcebooks in March 2011. Watch for the follow-up, CHASE ME, in June 2012!

Darynda Jones-In addition to the Charley Davidson series, the first of which is titled First Grave on the Right and scheduled to be a Feb 2011 release, Darynda’s fabulous agent sold a YA series, also in a three-book deal, to St. Martin’s Press. The first in the series, Grimsight, will be an April 2012 release. 

Autumn Jordon-IN 2010 Autumn Jordon saw the releases of her Golden Heart entry EVIL’ S  WITNESS, which is also a 2010 NJ Golden Leaf WINNER for Best First Book, and a light contemporary western, OBSESSED BY WILDFIRE.  In October 2010, she signed her third contract with TWRP for her next romantic suspense.  In The Presence Of Evil is on sale now.

Cynthia Justlin-Since 2009, Cynthia has published three romantic suspense books: Her Own Best Enemy, Intrusion, and Separation Anxiety (a novella). Her dark romantic thriller, Edge of Light, will be released from Carina Press May 2012.

Diane Kelly-Sold 4 more books in the Death & Taxes series to St. Martin’s Press!

Kim Law-Accepted a two-book offer from Amazon Montlake, with the first coming out Spring 2012!

Diana Layne-Diana Layne made her first sale to The Wild Rose Press.  Pirate’s Proposal is the first book in the Tales of The Scrimshaw Doll, a series created by the collaborative effort of a group of OKRWA writers (although Diana is a Texan, she loves her fellow OK Outlaws.) Diana’s book The Good Daughter, a Mafia suspense story, received a TOP PICK from RT Book Reviews!

Gabriela Lessa-Gabi bid on the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood Membership & Mentorship package and is now the first official Honorary Ruby Sister!

Gwynlyn MacKenzie-Since 2009, Gwyn has become a Mom-mom–twice–finaled in the 2011 GH, and is currently hard at work on the third manuscript in her Seers Series.

Heather McCollum-Just released my first short story, HIGHLAND HEART, in the anthology THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF SCOTTISH ROMANCE.

Bev Pettersen-–Since 2009, two of Bev’s books have hit the shelves: JOCKEYS AND JEWELS and COLOR MY HORSE. Her third release, FILLIES AND FEMALES will be released November, 2011.

Hope Ramsay-In February 2010 I made my first sale to Grand Central Publishing/Forever Romance in a four-book deal.  The first book, Welcome to Last Chance will be released on March 1, 2011.  The Second Book, Home at Last Chance will be a September 2011 release.  Last Chance Beauty Queen will be released in April 2012 and Christmas in Last Chance will be released in October 2012.

Sara Ramsey-Sara Ramsey’s first book, HEIRESS WITHOUT A CAUSE, will be released on January 23, 2012. Her second book, SCOTSMEN PREFER BLONDES, will be released in February.

Cate Rowan--her fantasy romance KISMET’S KISS, a two-time Golden Heart® finalist, has been released and is getting rave reviews. In the desert realm of Kad, a deadly epidemic strikes the palace of Sultan Kuramos. Only a magical healer from an enemy land could save his people. He doesn’t realize that healer is a woman… 

Joan Swan-FEVER, Kensington Brava, April, 2012 BLAZE, Kensington Brava, TBD, 2012

Liz Talley-Since finaling in the Golden Heart, Liz Talley has sold sixteen books to Harlequin Superromance, including her upcoming series The Boys of Bayou Bridge which is about a central Louisiana family where the delicious Dufrene brothers find a  sister they thought to be dead very much alive. Liz is excited to write about shrimp creole, Mardi Gras and LSU football…some of her favorite things. All three books plus another Christmas book will be out in 2012, starting with Waters Run Deep, May 2012

See where we were one year after the GH!

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