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I'm thrilled when I find a great new author, and I can't help but boast a bit
over my latest discovery.
So this space will be designated for newbies whose futures look very promising indeed (ahem.)
Once Upon A Wedding Night
by Sophie Jordan
The writing style is confident and sure, the prose, lush and seductive, and the dialogue, peppered with wit.
A deft debut.
The Lady Lies
by Samantha Saxon
A intricately woven tale of cat-and-mouse, with spy pitted against spy, both in the bedroom and out.
Loved it! Can't wait to read the next in the series.
The Veil of Night
by Lydia Joyce
A beautifully written Gothic debut with intriguing characters, sharp dialogue, silky prose, and a sexy romance.
Ms. Joyce is a strong new voice in the genre.
The Mistress of Trevelyan
by Jennifer St. Giles
An elegantly written tale of a prim and proper governess meeting a very passionate end.
St. Giles' lures the reader quite vividly into nineteenth century San Francisco.
and leaves her guessing until the very end. A unique and memorable new voice.
When Dashing Met Danger
by Shana Galen
A debut bursting with romance, passion, humor, and drama.
A feisty heroine and a hero to fall in love with, a flaring passion in a world keeping them apart. I loved the
adventure, the mystery, and especially the romance!
What An Earl Wants
by Shirley Karr
An inspired debut, full of wit and wisdom.
Karr's heroine in breeches can more than hold her own in the male-dominated world of the Regency.
And she does it with true feminine flare...and still gets the guy.
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation
by Lauren Willig
A swashbuckling debut penned with historical flare.
I loved it--a mystery suspense tucked into a historical romance,
wrapped in a bit of contemporary flirtation. What a coup!
Looking for more recommendations? Check out my Listmania Lists on Amazon.com.
The Lure of Romance
and
Laugh Out Loud Gems
If you're looking for romance...
Affaire de Coeur
www.affairedecoeur.com
All About Romance
www.likesbooks.com
Romantic Times BOOKclub
www.romantictimes.com
Romance Junkies
www.romancejunkies.com
Road to Romance
www.roadtoromance.ca
If you're looking for new authors...
Sophie Jordan
www.sophiejordan.net
Samantha Saxon
www.samanthasaxon.com
Shana Galen
www.shanagalen.com
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Alyssa Goodnight started reading romance novels in junior high, but only
those she considered to be of the respectable sort, such as
Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt. Quickly realizing that there were only so many
of those to choose from, she grudgingly decided to explore other
possibilities. Having teased her older sister incessantly over the racy, over-the-top
covers of modern romance novels, she was much relieved to discover that if she didn't first judge
a romance by its cover, the story would speak for itself. Properly contrite, Alyssa determined to catch up, reading them
throughout high school and then college. It was a lovely little escape
for a girl who'd left her own interest in history, English, and writing
behind as she opted for a financially sound career in engineering.
Graduating from the University of Texas at Austin (after a one year
freshman stint at Ohio State where she took creative writing, but sadly
not from Jennifer Crusie),
she took a job in Austin at a large semiconductor firm. There she worked
as a product engineer testing the microcontrollers to be implemented in
automotive applications. The work was extremely fulfulling, at times even
thrilling, but after five years, Alyssa was ready for a change.
That decision coincided perfectly with the discovery that she was pregnant.
And it was serendipitous indeed when paired with the opportunity presented to
her husband to help start-up a Houston-based office for his firm. So, Alyssa
left Austin and employment behind for new motherhood. She figured that with no
job, she'd have plenty of time to work on an as yet undetermined hobby or two.
Pity she was so naïve--she had no spare time whatsoever, and even if she had, she would
have had no energy with which to attempt anything more imaginative than a nap.
Eight months later, it was her sister once again who nudged her in
the right direction by suggesting that they each write an opening “hook” for
a romance novel and then read them aloud. Alyssa was inspired, and despite
promptly tossing her first attempt in the trash, determined to keep writing.
In fact, she couldn't seem to stop each day (until her son woke up from his
nap and demanded her attention).
Another son arrived and Alyssa kept on writing, rewriting, and editing. Finally,
she finished her first novel, a Regency historical romance entitled
Unladylike Pursuits, and spent five minutes congratulating herself.
She then promptly decided that rather than spend time searching for an agent,
waiting for publisher responses, preparing submissions--not to mention spending
a small fortune on postage--she'd channel her energies (along with her
husband's) into self-publishing, cross her fingers, and hope readers would
find her. Alyssa's novel is published by her own press,
Impress Ink.
Alyssa had thought to take a break from writing, but that didn't work
out as planned. Ideas were swirling around, demanding to be written down, and
so she obliged them and is even now at work on new projects.
Please check back frequently at alyssagoodnight.com
to see what's coming!
In November I joined the Austin Ladies Book Club in their discussion of Unladylike Pursuits. I called in (and I
think I monopolized the discussion). Here is a picture of the lovely ladies with their books.
Alyssa with a fan at the Borders bookstore on N. Oracle in Tucson, AZ.
Alyssa signing copies of Unladylike Pursuits at the Baybrook Barnes & Noble in Webster, Texas.
all those who visited!
The Pecan Grove "Nuts About Books" Club recently hosted Alyssa for dinner and a discussion of her
debut novel, Unladylike Pursuits. The April selection in the book club's eclectic reading assortment,
Unladylike Pursuits seemed to find favor with the group of mostly non-romance readers. Over a potluck dinner, complete
with a novel-inspired dessert tray, the group quizzed Alyssa on the novel, her writing style, and the process of publication.
Alyssa is seated in the middle, with "stars" in her eyes. Thanks to all the ladies for a lovely evening!
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