Chatting it up!

The chat was tons of fun. Jill Monroe couldn’t get her computer to log on so she came to my house. We split the screen (she got one side, I got the other) and shared the keyboard. Let’s just say we hijacked the keyboard and answered for each other a few times. The results were hilarious! The transcritp might be up at http://www.romancedivas.com.

Also, if you’ve emailed me over the past few days (even a reply to something I emailed you) and you haven’t heard back from me it’s because my server is not delivering your messages. I apologize! I don’t know when it will start working.

Good News Friday

I am so excited to announce that I will be chatting with my best friend and critique partner, Jill Monroe , this Saturday!!! We're ready for your questions. Ask us anything!

We'll be at the wonderful website of the Romance Divas April 29th at:

9pm Eastern
8pm Central
7pm Mountain
6pm Pacific

The amazing Shawn is giving away signed copies of my book and Jill's. You can check out the rules here. I'd love it if you came!

What's your good news?

Reasons not to drink...

We've reached Hump Day again!

So tell me. What books are you ordering/looking forward to reading in May? I find I'm eager for some June books. Johanna Lindsey (my first love in the romance world) has a new Mallory novel coming out, and I just can't resist those. Linda Howard has a new one out in June, as well, I think, and I'm a big Linda Howard fan. Who else do I need to be on the lookout for?

Oh! I commented about ARCs and buzz here, so check it out.

And I think we *will* do a contest about unleashing your inner animal. Tell me what your inner animal is and how you unleashed her (and I'd love to hear what happened becaue of it!), and a panel of judges (to be determined) will pick their favorie. Winner gets the animal print notebook and paperclips.

Now touring...

ONCE UPON STILETTOS by Shanna Swendson
(Ballantine Books, April 25, 2006)

When we left Katie Chandler at the end of Enchanted, Inc., she had helped her new employers, Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc. defeat Phelan Idris, a rogue wizard intent on stealing spells. By her side, and leading the battle, was hunky wizard Owen. Katie and Owen are still fighting their attraction to each other in Shanna Swendson’s hilarious and charming sequel Once Upon Stilettos, but first they have to track down a corporate spy before the company dissolves into paranoia. Then at the worst possible time, Katie's immunity to magic goes on the blink. At least she's having better luck in her social life, with men falling at her feet everywhere she goes. Has she really become that irresistible, or is it the new red shoes she felt compelled to buy? Polish your fairy wings, put on your magic shoes, click your heels three times, and join Shanna Swendson for a romantic romp amidst fairies, goblins, wizards and gargoyles.

Excerpt:
http://www.shannaswendson.com/stilettos.html

ABOUT SHANNA SWENDSON
In addition to writing fiction, Shanna Swendson is a freelance marketing consultant and writer specializing in technology and telecommunications. She is single and lives in Irving, Texas, with her many pet plants, including a vicious attack bougainvillea and a Christmas cactus that has outlasted three homes, three jobs and three boyfriends, yet still faithfully blooms every Christmas and Easter. She’s looking for a man that reliable.


REVIEWS

"Once Upon Stilettos is not to be missed if you're in the mood for a fast and funny read where chicklit meets urban fantasy." -- Mary Jo Putney, author of A Kiss of Fate

"A princely wizard, Cinderella red stilettos, and a megalomaniac--what more could a girl ask for? ONCE UPON STILETTOS is a delightful urban fairytale with a dreamy hero and a country-wise Texas heroine who use their magical and non-magical charms to seek justice and unmask the villain. Just a few weeks in the life of a simple single girl..." -- bestselling author Patricia Rice

Once again Swendson gives her readers a hilarious and delightful romp through the world of magic with a dash of romance thrown in to titillate and make us laugh. -- Andrea Sisco, Armchair Interviews

Website: http://www.shannaswendson.com

Updates -- I need your ideas

Okay, let's see. What's going on with me. I have a pink tiger stripe notebook and paper clips to give away in honor of Animal Instincts, but I don't know what type of contest to hold. Any ideas?

And people are asking for ARCs of Enslave Me Sweetly. I do plan to send a few of those out, I promise! I'll be mailing them in one week....So not too long of a wait, at all. I'd like to send out, oh, 5 for the buzz campagin. But I already have 4 of those 5 picked out (Darla, Suzette, Shawn, and Angel -- you ladies still want a copy, right?). Who will the last one go to? Any ideas?

I've been working on galleys (my last chance to make changes) for Playing With Fire. Just now got those finished up and will be mailing them off today. Any id -- oh, wait. No ideas needed here.

I just got an ARC of Mysteria. Funny, delicious stuff! My fabulous co-authors (PC Cast, Susan Grant, and MaryJanice Davidson) are at their best!!

Beefcake Monday

You're welcome!

Thank You

Good News Friday

I've already announced that The Pleasure Slave is a National Readers Choice Award finalist in the paranormal category. I've already announced that Animal Instinsts will be excerpted in the next edition of Cosmo Magazine. (if you see it, let me know!!) I've already announced that I'll be at BEA next month signing ARCs of Playing With Fire. Animal Instincts is officially released soon (yea!). Enslave Me Sweetly is released soon after that. Galleys (my last chance to make changes) to Playing With Fire are arriving today.

Also, I've got a post here about questions I'm often asked. Check it out.

That's it for me. Tell me your good news!

Fun pictures

I'm drawing a blank as to what to say, so I thought I'd post some cute photos.

Hump Day

I'm sooooo happy to announce that The Pleasure Slave is a finalist in the National Reader's Choice Awards! Yea!! I can hardly believe it.

If you're going to be in the Oklahoma City area on June 10th, shoot me an email with your address and I'll make sure you get an invitation to the book launch party for Animal Instincts and Enslave Me Sweetly.

So tell me about some good books you are reading.

Did someone ask for horns and a mustache??

You ask, and you receive here on Gena's blog. You wanted me to defile Jill Monroe's picture, and so I have!

So it's Tuesday...almost

Just have to say that I love me my Jill and if you haven't bought her book yet, now is the time!

I forgot to crown the March challenge winner. I don't want to go back to the original post, so whoever is first to post here about meeting their March challenge wins -- but you had to have participated in the challenge and met your goal. What will you win? I don't know. I can't recall what I promised to send. The winner and I can discuss it. A signed copy of Animal Instincts, perhaps, or an ARC of Enslave Me Sweetly or Oh My Goth. Or perhaps a signed copy from one of the books in my backlist. We'll talk!

Okay. So. This is for my writers. Have you ever had such a fantastic idea for a book that you were afraid you wouldn't/couldn't do it justice? That's how I feel about my current idea/proposal. I've written the first three chapters and synopsis and I think they are really, really good. Some of my best work, actually, but the idea is so awesome to me that I want the chapters to reflect that and there's a lingering fear that such a thing can never happen. Anyone else had to deal with this? If so, what did you do?

Okay. So. This is for my buzzers. I'm so excited about the whole buzz campaign. I now have a friend helping me out; you might be getting an email from her. Also, as my way of saying THANK YOU for all your hard work on my behalf, I'll be doing a drawing at the end of the year for all the people who participated in the buzzing. Two different gift certificates will be awarded! Gonna be fun!

Beefcake Monday

Hope you had a wonderful Easter and that this little morsel soothes your sweet tooth!

Happy Easter Everyone!!

Let's all make a vow right now to knock some kids out of the way and steal some of those chocolates/candies/eggs for ourselves! We deserve them, and the Easter Bunny has forgotten us for far too long.

(Disclaimer: Gena Showalter in no way endorses shoving little kids)

Good News Friday

Let's hear it! Post your good news here.

Updates

So...I got WICKED sick yet again. This one only lasted 2 days, but man, what a horrible two days! Let's just say it was the worst of all the naughty viruses who came to visit. Honestly, it's like all the germs in the world knew my immune system was down for maintenance and came to visit. (Thanks, you rotton bastards!)

The Nymph King manuscript came in with page notes and revisions. I'll be working on that today. My edtior really knows her stuff, so it's exciting to make the changes.

Jill Monroe is running a contest on her site, so stop by. Shawn, too, is running a contest on her site. Two contests, actually. Scroll to the bottom of the page for the second. Go win some prizes, people!!

Also, I never finished talking about the book Hell Kat by Vivi Anna. Steamy, steamy!! Action packed. Wonderfully strong heroine. A wild ride you will really enjoy. If you haven't picked up your copy. . .

So what are you working on? What are you reading?

This is really, really cool!

Shawn is doing a FABULOUS thing for me and Jill Monroe (Jill Monroe and I?) on her blog. Check it out here. I’m so excited!!

Lift your glass in honor of Jill

Oh. My. God! So I’m talking to Jill Monroe (aka the Devious One) and she’s trying so hard not to laugh the whole time we are talking. I don’t know why. Then, a comment from my blog shows up in my email box. This comment mentions Steve Carell. I tell Jill, "Isn't it funny that they're talking about Steve C. on my blog? Wasn't I just telling you how much he doesn't do it for me." Jill can’t stop laughing. She manages to get out, “Why would someone mention Steve?” So I hop over to my blog to comment and what do I see? Naughty Jill has posted a beefcake Monday of her own. Thanks Jill! Payback will be swift and mighty.

More Beefcake for Monday

Enjoy!

Beefcake Monday

Have I posted this one before? We've had so much beefcake, I can no longer recall what flavors we've enjoyed. I love this man's stomach.

I'm happy to say I feel really good today. I was going to go on a two day reading binge to celebrate -- a thought brought about by a moment of insanity, for sure. I just feel soooo behind in my work. So I'll be working. As I should. I have a lot to do. Gotta get the YA alien huntress editted and polished. Gotta re-read and polish the new (secret) proposal I wrote. Gotta do the revisions for The Nymph King. (And I haven't forgotten to pick a winner for the March challenge. We'll try to do that this week)

So. What are you working on?

Weekend Update

I taught a writing class with Jill Monroe yesterday. No bra mishaps, no getting lost. I was, quite frankly, in shock. I don't think that's ever happened to us before. (Oh, and hey. Jill is running an awesome STD contest on her website. Check it out. And for all you naughty minded people, STD does and does not stand for what you think it stands for...)

I‘ve sent out 8 copies of Animal Instincts for the Buzz Gena’s Book experiment. If you are one of my buzzers, make sure to report here or shot me an email when you begin buzzing!

Good News Friday

Tell me your good news!! I discovered that Deidre Knight was on a popular radio show yesterday (in Atlanta) and the DJs were vera, vera interested in my book THE PLEASURE SLAVE. I believe they debated about the merits of becoming one. Pretty cook, huh?

What else, what elase. . . Revisions are coming in for THE NYMPH KING today. I'm not dead. I'm actually getting better. I'll be signing ARCs of PLAYING WITH FIRE at BEA this May. Yea! I think that's it for me. Now, start bragging people! Spill!

Jill Monroe. . . Share the Darkness. . . Available now, baby!!

Share the Darkness by Jill Monroe is finally in stores! Here’s a little about this delicious story:

Hannah Garrett has always felt safe in the dark. It meant she never had to show people the truth. On the run from a man who wants to kill her, Hannah's learned to keep to herself and not get attached....Until she meets Ward Coleman.Being around her sexy coworker has awakened a need she'd forgotten — and it's not just this heat wave that has Hannah hot and bothered. But she can't afford to get too close, especially when she's not sure she can trust him.What she doesn't know is that Ward is on to her and is determined to learn her secrets. And getting caught in a hot, dark elevator is the best place to find out all this undercover FBI agent needs to know.

Romantic Times called Share The Darkness a "great read" and gave it 4 Stars. I call it "freaking awesome" and give it 5 gold vibrators (my highest rating!)

You can pick up your copy from Barnes&Noble, eHarlequin, Amazon and Books A Million

Updates, March Challenge, Animal Instincts, Conference stories

Still sick. Went to dr. and got meds. Strong meds. I'm walking around, at least. Am teaching a class with Jill Monroe today. I canceled last time because I came down with a mutant stomach virus. Can't cancel again. Talking isn't enjoyable for me at the moment -- those damn sores! -- but I think I'll live through it.

I haven't forgotten the March challenge. Everyone who met their goal, post here and we'll do a drawing from the names for a signed copy of Animal Instincts. Speaking of Animal Instincts...my author copies arrived. Yea! Unfortunately, my bio wasn't changed on back so you get the same off-planet bio for this contemporary that you got for all my other HQN books. Also, there's a fact wrong on the back blurb. Hero hasn't supposedly been in love with the heroine for a year. He's supposedly been in love with her for six months. I apologize for those mistakes. No one's fault, these things happen, but I thought I'd let you know.

Also, anyone want to help me spread the word about this book? Do buzz for it? It's my first contemporary, has no paranormal elements, and is written in 1st person. It's about a woman trying to unleash her most primal instincts and the man who can't resist her. If that sounds like your kind of book, shoot me an email about what you'd like to do buzz-wise (if you even like the book that is!) and I'll perhaps mail you a copy. (We'll be doing this for Enslave Me Sweetly at the end of the month and yes, you can do it for both!)

The DARA conference...Well, I'm sure stories of my grand adventures are already floating around out there so I won't rehash them. Much. Got there Friday, had dinner with some friends and the wonderful agent Lucienne Driver. Did the signing -- had too much to drink. Afterward, had more drinks with the lovely Nephele Tempest (agent), Kristen Nelson (agent), Lucienne Driver (agent), Shelley Bradley (author), and a few other authors. We had too much fun. I tried to pitch everyone my Muffin Man story. Do you know the muffin man? Anyway, here's a one sentence synopsis: Muffin Man falls in love with a true female jackass, mystical portans open, there's some traveling, and it's the greatest love story ever told. It was a no go, all the way around. Even when butt plugs and nipple clamps were brought into the picture, the answer was still no. Don't worry. I'll be shoving this little gem under the bathroom stalls at another conference (that's totally a joke -- don't ever do that! Bad, bad)

Anyway, Deidre Knight -- does this Muffin Man idea interest you??? Call me, we'll chat.

Sat. morning, I had breakfast with the amazing Candace Havens and I stole her hair scrunchie. I'm not ashamed to admit it, either. I stole the thing. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. (It's mine now and if you want it back, Candy Havens, some of my demands will have to be met.) I hung out the rest of the day Sat., attended a workshop with the wonderful Cindy of Berkley, then headed home.

Oh, wait. How can I end my stories of the conference without telling you about one of the most delicious things my mouth has ever had the pleasure of masticating. A prime rib sandwich. I totally blame Lucienne Driver for my new found obsession with this sandwich. I would have eaten it for every meal on Sat. but the kitchen wouldn't make it for me -- even when I flashed the workers. I'm kidding. Kind of.

Parallel Attraction by Deidre Knight

Note about me: Still stick. My ears have joined the battle to destroy me. But I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. Is that good -- bad -- who knows?

Note about this book: it's awesome.

PARALLEL ATTRACTION by Deidre Knight
(Signet Eclipse, April 4, 2006)

It has been years since exiled alien king Jared Bennett thought of anything other than his people's fight for freedom. Now his rebel force has the one weapon that can turn the tide against their enemy: the key to the secrets of time. Victory has never been closer-but one woman has the power to change everything.Kelsey Wells can't deny that there is something unearthly about her fierce attraction to Jared Bennett. His revelations about alien wars and time travel can't possibly be fact-yet with every seductive touch, every searing kiss, Kelsey circles closer to the truth: that although Jared is exactly what he says, he hasn't told her everything. And when the future crashes into the present, Kelsey must decide if his deception will cost them the love that should have been their destiny.

Excerpt:http://www.deidreknightbooks.com/pa_excerpt.html

ABOUT DEIDRE KNIGHT
Deidre Knight is president of The Knight Agency, which she founded in 1996. Since that time, she has grown the agency to national prominence, landing authors on every major bestseller list. Deidre began her writing career at age nine, when her award-winning essay on Barbie was published in her hometown newspaper, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution. She has been writing in one form or another ever since. After nearly a decade of working with Knight Agency clients, helping them discover their creative potential, her fiction debut with NAL in 2006 marks the fulfillment of her own lifelong writing dream. She is excited to embark on yet another new and fulfilling creative journey.

REVIEWS
Debut author, Deidre Knight, immerses the reader in a world that’s believable, fascinating, and extremely sensual between two people who meld into one as their love escalates. The sensuality builds to a crescendo, the plot plummets your emotion then brings you back, while bating your wishes for more at the end. Completely mesmerizing, PARALLEL ATTRACTION leaves you hoping for more. – Romance Junkies

An intriguing new voice in paranormal fiction has arrived! Knight kicks off an exciting new series that explores the power of conviction and unintended consequences. This novel is chock-full of passion, betrayal and redemption and will certainly leave you wanting more! – Romantic Times

Without a doubt this is one compelling and absolutely phenomenal read! Knight's opening foray into the paranormal world is … intensely erotic, passionate, and riveting … In two words, "totally fabulous"! I was instantly caught up in the heart wrenching betrayal of a precious love that was taken from two innocents. … I am so looking forward to seeing more stories … from an author who has brought a highly imaginative and provocative breath of fresh air into the paranormal realm! Brava! Overall Rating: 10 -- Marilyn of www.RomanceDesigns.com

Website: http://www.deidreknight.com

The PARALLEL Experience: http://www.deidreknightbooks.com/

Beefcake Monday

I've lumbered out of my sick bed (sob, sob -- me hurts!) to post Beefcake Monday. My throat hurts, I have sores on my tongue, my body aches, I'm lethargic, and have a foggy brain). As Jill Monroe says, I might have the plague.

I'm getting sooo behind. I have stories to post about the DARA conference (I've got some good ones), books to read, pages to write, blurbs to give. Hopefully tomorrow I can get back on track. Right now I am headed back to bed.

I'm home

I've got stories for you about my trip, but I woke up with a throat infection so they will have to wait. I had a fabulous time, had a little too much to drink at one point -- and we all know what happens then -- and meet some wonderful people. More soon!