Tomorrow I’ll be interviewing Jackie Barbosa, the author of Behind the Red Door, which releases from Kensington next week. Behind the Red Door is erotic Regency romance you don’t want to miss! At the end of the day, Jackie will be giving away a copy of Behind the Red Door to one commenter!

Also, be sure to check out the Wicked contest I’m having with the brilliant Regency romance author and RITA nominee, Christine Wells, for a chance to win a prize pack containing both of our upcoming Wicked releases!
Contest Page: http://www.jenniferhaymore.com/bonus-features/contest/

Finally, take a look at my busy schedule for the next couple of weeks! I’m doing a Blog Tour organized by my publisher, as well as tons of interviews, guest blogs, and giveaways. Some of these book/reading blogs and sites are new to me, and they’re fabulous! So go check them out, and maybe win a book while you’re at it!
Appearances Page: http://www.jenniferhaymore.com/bonus-features/appearances/

Congrats to Pam P, who won a copy of A HINT OF WICKED from my last blog post.

I’m gearing up for the blog tour, answering interview questions like a madwoman! Do you think it’s okay to copy and paste when two people ask me a similar question? Hmmm….I feel kind of guilty doing that!

I’m also gearing up for more contests here, more giveaways, and more silliness as my excitement (and craziness) mounts every day before release day! So stay tuned. There will be more (much more!) fun to be had hereabouts…

In the meantime, a copy of A HINT OF WICKED is up for grabs over at Jackie Barbosa’s blog! So if you didn’t win the last contest, come check that out…more of my deepest, darkest secrets will be revealed! Hehe!

I have winners for the Tessa Dare/Evie Byrne contest! They are: RF Long, Aileen Fish, and Wanderer. Congrats!

It was really fascinating reading everyone’s responses. Sometimes I was nodding my head thinking, “Yes, yes, yes!”, and sometimes I was thinking, “Well, I took a little time to warm up to that author, but I’m a big fan now!”

Some other authors mentioned who had me at “hello”:
Janet Evanovich, Jennifer Crusie, Elizabeth Hoyt, Julia Quinn

Some of the mentioned authors I adore now, but might have taken me a few pages to warm up to:
Laura Kinsale, Julie Garwood, Nicole Jordan, Joanna Bourne, Stephanie Laurens, Shelly Laurenston

But see, my evil plan in this post was to get some suggestions for new-to-me authors. And now (insert evil cackle) I have several to add to my TBR pile. So thanks to everyone for your responses!

Looking above at my list, I’m seeing a pattern, at least in my own response to authors. All of the “had me at hello” authors have very strong, witty voices. The others on my “favorites” list have characters and plots I found ultimately compelling and memorable.

Would you say your keeper shelf consists of books with stronger characterization, stronger plots, or stronger author voice? (I know they’re probably mostly “all of the above,” but which element do you find to be most important?)

One commenter will win an early signed copy of A HINT OF WICKED! I’ll post the winner on Monday.

Today marks Tessa Dare’s first release. She’s going to have a huge debut for her novel Goddess of the Hunt in July, mark my words, but there’s been lots of buzz about her novella released today from Samhain Publishing, Legend of the Werestag. Tessa’s voice is exquisite and not to be missed!

Also, as I was browsing around the Samhain site, I realized two books I’ve critiqued (and loved) are currently on Samhain’s bestseller list. Called By Blood and Bound By Blood by Evie Byrne are not your “average” vampire books. Evie is, like Tessa, one of those writers that has a way with wit and words that will just make you happy while reading her books, guaranteed!

I’m so thrilled and excited to have worked with both these amazingly talented authors & to call them my friends. From the moment I opened the document and read the first pages of their writing, I’ve been hooked. They’re both great people, too, who have supported me on this wild journey to publication. So, to thank them, and to thank you for stopping by, I’m giving away three e-books to three different winners. If you win, you can select an e-book of your choice:

The Legend of the Werestag by Tessa Dare
Called By Blood by Evie Byrne
Bound By Blood by Evie Byrne

All you need to do is respond and let me know about an author you’ve been hooked on ever since you read that first page of the first book you ever read by that author. Who had you at “hello”?

I’ll announce the winners on Friday!

I hope all you mothers out there had a fantastic Mother’s Day!

What a great response I had to the “Freebies Contest”! Congrats to Gina T. from Minnesota, who won a signed copy of A HINT OF WICKED! I’ll send out the freebies packets sometime this week.

Thanks so much to everyone who stopped by the blog and to everyone who signed up for freebies! The freebies are still available, so if you haven’t already signed up, go on over to my Bonus Features page and check them out!

Thanks again, everyone.

It’s Mother’s Day weekend, right? Which means surely, surely, I can take a few hours off to finish Jackie Barbosa’s upcoming release, BEHIND THE RED DOOR! Jackie was kind enough to send me an early copy of the book. I’ve read the first novella, and let me tell you, this is one steamy, romantic, and beautifully written anthology! I hope to have Jackie as a guest here on my blog sometime this month, and I’m hoping she’ll give away a copy of her book, too, so make sure to keep an eye out for that.

In the meantime, I’ve gotten a list of 15 more stops on my blog tour from my publicist. Yikes! I don’t think I’ve ever been so social (even internet social!) in my entire life!

AND…last but not least, I received a wonderful early Mother’s Day present from my publisher. Real, beautiful copies of A HINT OF WICKED! Wait…I have to go take a picture of myself holding one of these new and shiny books…be right back…

Here it is:

Because I’m so excited, I’m going to give away a free copy to a random person who signs up for Freebies! Just go to my Bonus Features page, and sign up to receive some freebie promo items from me and a bunch of my favorite authors (Anna Campbell, Kris Kennedy, Christine Wells, Emma Wildes, and Dawn Halliday), and one person who signs up before Sunday at midnight will receive a shiny new copy of A HINT OF WICKED!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY WEEKEND, everyone!

Hey, everyone! Please head on over to my bonus features page, where I’m giving away a free historical authors’ pack. This will include goodies (bookmarks, excerpt booklets, and more…) from myself, Dawn Halliday, Christine Wells, Anna Campbell, Kris Kennedy, and Emma Wildes.

The winner of the ARC is…Lilah Rune! Congrats…I hope you enjoy the book!
Thanks to everyone for commenting on my new cover! I’m so excited…two month until release day!

Now off to deal with the whimpering, whiny (sick) 4-year-old…