Virtual Author Webcast - Author Maggie Stiefvater

Virtual Author Webcast - Author Maggie Stiefvater

Monday, March 7 | 4 PM

In celebration of Teen Tech Month, the Houston Public Library presents an Almost, Totally Virtually Here author webcast: Meet and chat with Maggie Stiefvater, author of Shiver, Linger & Forever. Author chats are the virtual equivalent to sitting and chatting with your favorite writer at a coffee shop.

he Wolves of Mercy Falls
When Grace falls in love with Sam, a boy who must become a wolf each winter, they must decide how much they're willing to risk in order to be together.

SHIVER
For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl.
Read all about Shiver here.

LINGER
This is the story of a boy who used to be a wolf and a girl who was becoming one. Just a few months ago, it was Sam who was the mythical creature. But now it is spring. With the heat, the remaining wolves will soon be falling out of their wolf pelts and back into their human bodies...
Read all about Linger here.

FOREVER
Coming July 12, 2011
The conclusion to #1 bestselling Shiver trilogy. In Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. In Linger, they fought to be together. Now, in Forever, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.
Read all about Forever here.

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NOTE ON VIRTUAL ONLINE CHATS:

Customers can view the broadcast from any computer, any where in the country! You can view the webcast below or you can click here to view. If you would like, you can also visit any of the listed HPL locations to participate in these virtual author visits.

Note: To chat with the author, please use the window below. You must have a UStream account to participate in the chat. UStream accounts are free. An account is not needed if you are viewing these webcast only.

Kim Harrison goes virtually live on Friday 2/25 at Jo Beth Cincy!‏

New York Times bestselling author KIM HARRISON's newest book, PALE DEMON, went on sale yesterday...and it's already in the top 15 at Amazon.com!

Kim's "Hollows" books have made Cincy (in)famous...basically, she's created an urban fantasy landscape, populated with witches, demons, living vampires, pixies and elfs, out of Cincinnati's urban landscape.  PALE DEMON takes desperado witch Rachel Morgan on a cross country roadtrip.  Think Jack Kerouac...twisted...

To celebrate the Cincy roots of these novels, Harper Voyager is streaming Kim's Jo Beth Cincy event (this Friday at 7 pm) LIVE to fans around the globe.  The virtual events is a fabulous tool, as it brings commerce into our bookselling partner from far outside the city limits -- people who can't attend in person can watch online at http://www.vivolive.com/harpercollins/kimharrison and order personalize copies of the book via the Jo Beth website. We've had upwards of 500 people attend similar events for romance authors...With Kim's global popularity, this virtual (and bricks and mortar) event could see thousands.  Win-win for Kim and Jo Beth! And we're very excited to share that Assignment X will also be streaming the event online as well.

You'll see Kim's cheeky blog post about the streaming event here (I think she's poking fun at her publicist, who is a self-acknowledged time zone illiterate): http://kimharrison.wordpress.com/2011/02/21/cant-make-an-event-we-are-streaming-live/

An Elf, a Pixie, a Living Vampire and a

Witch Take a Cross-Country Road Trip…

With more than 2.5 million copies currently in print of her bestselling Hollows novels, New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison is one of the leading voices in urban fantasy.  And, now in the proud tradition of Jack Kerouac (a very twisted Jack Kerouac) and American Gods, Kim takes her fiction for a road trip…begging the question, what happens when an elf, a pixie, a living vampire and a witch who dabbles in black magic are forced to travel 2300 miles cross-country (in three days or less), jammed into an ‘89 blue Buick?  Hell on wheels. 

Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW “Elegant and taut as a gymnast's cartwheel, Harrison's polished prose drives a story that will have readers swerving in their seats every time Rachel turns the wheel.”

Library Journal “As in Harrison’s previous books, this one features plenty of action and a strong central character…”

Booklist “The Rachel Morgan series is fast becoming one of the hottest tickets in the urban-fantasy subgenre.”

Io9 Travelogue Blog by Kim Harrison “…after eight books in the same streets, I needed new vistas for Pale Demon. My main character, Rachel, also needed some time to figure things out, and what better way than a blue Buick going west with a vampire riding shotgun and a wealthy elf grumbling in the back seat that Mickey-D's was not an acceptable lunch stop?”

 

 

 

Romance Live Book Signing with Nora Roberts, Jeaniene Frost & Pamela Palmer

RomanceLive!

Turning the Page on the ‘Traditional’ Book Signing:

New York Times Bestselling Authors Nora Roberts, Jeaniene Frost & Pamela Palmer,

Joined By Grace Burrowes, Mary Burton and Stephanie Dray,

Featured in LiveStream Online Book & Author Event

Saturday, February 19, 2011; 10:30 am ET; Live from Turn the Page Bookstore Café (Boonsboro, MD)

www.avonromancelive.com

New York Times bestselling authors Nora Roberts, Jeaniene Frost and Pamela Palmer headline a much-anticipated live/virtual book signing, powered by LiveStream, taking place at 10:30 am ET on Saturday February 19, 2011. The authors, who will be joined by romance and fiction luminaries Grace Burrowes, Mary Burton and Stephanie Dray, will talk about their newest releases, answer questions, and sign copies for virtual event attendees, live from Turn the Page Bookstore Café in Boonsboro, Maryland.  Information regarding the LiveStream event can be found online at www.avonromancelive.com.

“Publishers clamor to have their authors participate in Turn the Page’s multi-author events,” says Pam Jaffee, senior publicity director for Avon Books.  “We know the store is a mecca for romance; their events draw hundreds of readers from around the region – and even from points further across the country.  So, where better to host a very untraditional book signing event?”

What is an “untraditional” event in this day and age? These new streaming signings marry bricks-and-mortar with online; driving a dedicated digital fanbase to support stores at local independent booksellers.

The LiveStream event takes place an hour and a half before the doors open on Turn the Page’s bricks-and-mortar signing (where they anticipate fans will be standing in line to meet this dynamic author line-up).   In hosting the virtual signing, Avon and Turn the Page open the doors to readers everywhere. 

“By partnering with Avon and LiveStream to broadcast a pre-event before Turn the Page’s scheduled in-store signing, we are able to reach out to hundreds, thousands of romance fans across the country and around the world,” says store manager Janeen Solberg. 

This is the third live-streaming author event brought to fans by Avon Books.  Jaffee notes, “We recently hosted a virtual signing for bestselling author Julia Quinn from Powell’s in Beaverton Oregon: more than 500 romance fans from around the globe attended – and we think the potential reach for this week’s event is exponentially greater than that.” 

Readers can contact the skilled staff at Turn the Page Bookstore Café (info@ttpbooks.com; (301) 432-4588) to order personalized copies of the participating authors’ newest titles.  Newly released books being at both the online and in-store events include The Search by Nora Roberts, Treachery in Death by J.D. Robb, This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost, Hunger Untamed by Pamela Palmer, Merciless by Mary Burton; Lily of the Nile by Stephanie Dray and The Heir by Grace Burrowes.

More information is available online at www.avonromancelive.com and www.ttpbooks.com.

WHEN:

Saturday, February 19, 2011.

10:30 am ET

WHERE:

Turn the Page Bookstore Café

18 North Main Street
Boonsboro MD 21713

NOTE: Readers can log onto the Turn the Page website to pre-order signed and personalized books.

www.ttpbooks.com

Review: If Wishes Were Horses by Robert Barclay

If Wishes Were Horses by Robert Barclay

HarperCollins Publishing

February 15th 2010

ISBN13: 9780061966880

Available formats: Ebook, Hardcover, Audio and Large Print 

Pages: 400

Read Excerpt here

Available Now from Amazon, B&N, Borders

I received this book by the publisher for this review.

Book Description

Wyatt Blaine desperately seeks a reason to continue. Devastated by the senseless deaths of his wife and son at the hands of a drunk driver, he remains unable to forgive, and to love again. Searching for a sense of peace, he decides to revive his late wife's equine therapy program for troubled teens at the Blaine family ranch. By honoring her memory in this way, he hopes to find the sense of closure that has long eluded him. 

But then Wyatt's pastor asks for the impossible—for Wyatt to meet with Gabby Powers, the widow of the man responsible for Wyatt's unbearable sorrow. Wyatt knows Gabby is not to blame for the tragedy, so when she begs him to accept her troubled teenage son, Trevor, into the program, he reluctantly agrees. With some help and guidance from Ram, Wyatt's irascible but lovable father, Wyatt does his best to accept Gabby and Trevor's unsettling presence at the ranch. Even so, Wyatt still feels that he is somehow betraying his late wife's memory rather than honoring it. 

But to his great surprise, Wyatt also finds himself drawn to Gabby's warmth, tenderness, and surprising ability to soothe his troubled soul. Day after day, their mutual attraction becomes more intense, more impossible to ignore. But to heal completely, Wyatt and Gabby must first overcome the common tragedy that separates them and learn the true nature of forgiveness. And only by conquering these seeming impossibilities might their hearts become free to love each other . . . . 

My Thoughts...

Gabby is single mother dealing with young son's not able to cope with the loss of his father at such a young age. Gabby's son, Trevor refuses to accept the truth about his father and the real reason his father died.   She hopes against hope that the one that can help Trevor.  Even if she has to beg to get the help she needs from the one man who's lost his family to her husband's drunk driving. 

Wyatt lost the people that means to him; his wife and son to a drunk driver, Jason Powers. Now some years later Jason Powers' widow, Gabby comes to ask for help and acceptance to his New Beginnings Program.

With the help of their pastor, both he and Gabby manage to get Wyatt to accept Trevor in his program.  There is something about Gabby that slowly worms her way into his thoughts.

If Wishes Were Horses was nothing like I expected. It was more than I can imagine and loved reading every single page. This is one heart warming tale of redemption, loyalty , love and forgiveness between family, friendship and the beginnings of a true love romance.  

I definitely wouldn't have picked this one if not for wonderful person who sent me a copy. *thanks Christine* I normally don't read contemporary romances since I am huge urban fantasy and paranormal reading kind of girl. But Mr. Barclay just won me over from the very beginning of fantastic novel.

There really isn't anything like reading a novel that starts off with a hero/heroine's tragedies that slowly overcome said tragedy and transform from friendship into a love story.

If Wishes Were Horses is one remarkable tale of romance and family love that is going to be cherished by many readers for long time to come. I for one hope that this novel hits the big screen sooner rather than later. 

I rate If Wishes Were Horses a rating of 4 Stars

The Soulmate Scavenger Hunt

The Soulmate Scavenger Hunt 

From February 14-18, Avon fans have a chance to discover their perfect match ... and win a ColorNook, a $100 B&N giftcard and a copy of every Avon title published in February-March 2011. 

Start here with this quiz to begin your journey, then travel to the author's website to learn something special about your literary soulmate, and log in a sweet nothing about that author over at the Avon blog 

( http://www.avonromance.com/2011/02/14/avons-soulmate-scavenger-hunt )

for a chance to win this great prize, valued at over $500!

Upcoming News and Book Reviews

Hey all! I just want to let everyone know what is new and upcoming here at Romance Bites.

I am trying to see if I can interview Kim Harrison and discuss her new book Pale Demon. I am also hoping to have a couple of book signed by Kim for a upcoming contest. Details (hopefully) are coming soon.

The following books are on my review list. 

Hunger Untamed by Pamela Palmer 

Pale Demon by Kim Harrison 

This Side of The Grave by Jeaniene Frost 

River Marked by Patricia Briggs

Etched in Bone by Adrian Phoenix

Bound by Darkness Alexis Morgan