What's in Store for 2008!

Happy New Year!

There's lots coming to the Harlequin Romance Author blog in 2008!

Keep visiting back for the regular features like Monthly Releases, the Spotlight in Six and Foreign Releases and Reviews. But there's more coming!

2008 marks the 100 birthday of Mills and Boon! And we think it only appropriate to celebrate the company that keeps publishing these fantastic, romantic, satisfying books!

We'll be bringing you news of centenary celebrations, giving away books and prizes and more!

You're not going to want to miss it, so come back often and see what's up with Romance!

Happy New Year to you all!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all of our fabulous readers from the authors of Harlequin Romance!

We wish you a blessed holiday season with your family and friends and thank you for continuing to supporting Romance, where happy endings are guaranteed!

And in case you haven't yet picked up the Christmas themed offerings from this month - here's a shortlist:

His Christmas Angel by Michelle Douglas (debut)

Snowbound with Mr. Right by Judy Christenberry

The Boss's Little Miracle by Barbara McMahon

and don't forget the collections:

Christmas Proposals

Christmas Weddings

Brides for Christmas

A Child's Christmas Wish

And if you click on this eharlequin link, you can get some really great deals!

Enjoy your holidays - good food, good drink and a great book!

Foreign Releases - December

UN AMORE SOTTO L'ALBERO - Judy Christenberry

E per regalo di Natale... Richard Anderson è un avvocato di successo. Tutta la sua vita ruota intorno al lavoro, anche durante il periodo natalizio. Quest'anno però è diverso. Qualcosa sconvolge la sua vita, o meglio, qualcuno: To­by, otto anni, suo nipote. Rimasto orfano, è stato affidato alle sue cure, ma per il piccolo Richard è quasi uno sconosciuto, mentre Molly, l'infermiera che l'ha accudito con amore durante la degenza in ospedale, rappresenta l'unico conforto sicuro. ... una famiglia tutta sua! Una lunga vacanza nell'imponente tenuta degli An­derson. È questa la proposta che Molly Sodering ha ricevuto dall'affascinante avvocato. Lei sa che la sua presenza potrà aiutare Toby ad ambientarsi meglio e la prospettiva di passare un Natale da sogno è molto allettante, ma non rischierà di innamorarsi?

(I had to pick this one, just for the heroine's hair!) For more Italian releases, click on this link.

UN MILLIONAIRE A SEDUIRE - Myrna Mackenzie

Le jour où elle rencontre enfin le Dr Donovan Barrett, Anna Nowell qui, depuis bientôt deux ans, tient en son absence la villa de ce célèbre millionnaire, comprend que sa vie est sur le point de basculer. Car Donovan, brisé par le décès accidentel de son petit garçon, ne tarde pas à lui annoncer qu’il a besoin d’être seul, et qu’il songe à la congédier. Désireuse d’aider cet homme blessé par la vie, dont elle se sent si proche – elle qui souffre depuis toujours de l’absence d’un enfant à ses côtés –, Anna décide alors de tout mettre en œuvre pour le convaincre de la garder à son service…

For more french translations, click here.

SECRETOS EN LA ISLA - Trish Wylie

En la isla irlandesa de Valentia, las nubes se acercaban a la tierra y de pronto apareció una figura entre la bruma… Era el hombre que llevaba toda la vida esperando sin siquiera saberlo
Garrett Kincaid podía ayudar a la bella Keelin O’Donnell a descubrir los secretos de su pasado, pero nunca podría entregarle su corazón. Garrett sabía que la vida de Keelin estaba en otro lugar.Lo que no imaginaba era que el poder de la isla iba a cautivar a Keelin y a darle el valor que necesitaba para enfrentarse al futuro. Un futuro que pensaba compartir con él.

For more Jazmin titles, go here.

and from Sweden - Två böcker i en:

Sin egen lyckas smed av Lucy Gordon

Hon är absolut inte intresserad av kärlek … Olympia Lincoln sätter omedelbart sin nye assistent i arbete. Fast hon har ingen aning om vem det är hon domderar över. Han är nämligen Primo Rinucci – hennes nye chef!

… men han har en annan syn på saken!Primo kan inte låta bli att spela med. Missförståndet ger honom en möjlighet att komma nära den tilldragande Olympia. Men frågan är om hon någonsin kommer att våga lita på honom när sanningen uppdagas?

En annorlunda jul av Barbara Hannay

Aldrig har något så spännande hänt i den sömniga byn Bindi Creek som när den rike engelsmannen Hugh Strickland gör entré. Han har kommit för att hämta hem den lilla flicka han just fått veta att han är far till.

Trots att de knappt känner varandra ber Hugh den jordnära Jo om hjälp att ta hand om sin dotter. Jo antar utmaningen, men lovar sig själv att förhållandet endast ska vara professionellt – bara inte Hugh vore så förbaskat snygg!

Men allt eftersom banden mellan far och dotter blir starkare blir det också svårare och svårare för Jo att hålla sitt löfte …

Spotlight in Six with...Lucy Gordon

This month we're pleased to have with us Lucy Gordon, whose current release is The Millionaire Tycoon's English Rose. Lucy was even kind enough to supply us with a few pictures to go along with her answers!

On to the questions!

Where do you find new and fresh ideas?

This is a real factor in my writing life at the moment, because I’ve decided to explore new territory. I’ll still be setting some of my books in Italy (the one I’m writing now is set in and around Florence) but there are other places in the world, and not all attractive men are Italians. (Don’t tell my Italian husband I said that!)

Earlier this year I went to China and saw some wonderful sights – the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors. I’m still working out a way to use China as a setting.

Writers often use photos of celebrities as “casting”. Do you do this, and who has inspired some of your characters?

I definitely do this. Among American actors I use the younger Charlton Heston a lot. For English actors I use Nathaniel Parker (the Inspector Lynley Mysteries) and Richard Armitage (Guy of Gisborne in Robin Hood.)

Nathaniel Parker is the face of hero of the book I’ve just finished, The Italian’s Cinderella Bride, out next April. It’s set in Venice. The hero is a Venetian Count living alone in a deserted palace, trying to cope with his guilt over the death of his wife. The heroine is suffering partial amnesia, and her need of his help is the thing that draws him out of the shadows.

What are your favourite and least favourite parts of writing a novel? Is there a particular section that you struggle with?

The beginning, when there seems to be such a huge task ahead. I often liken it to a plane heading down the runway at the start of a journey. At about 15,000 words I usually achieve take-off, and start to believe that I can actually do this. Then it becomes really enjoyable.

When you are not writing, what do you do? How do you pamper yourself?

I love classical music, especially grand opera. I’ve got a collection of opera on DVD. I go for anything with Placido Domingo in it.

Imagine you’re stranded…where are you and who are you with?

I’m with my husband, who comes from Venice, and we’re floating in a gondola, onward and onward……

Finally, Lucy, please tell us what’s up and coming for you in the months ahead!

As part of exploring new territory, I’ve ventured into Presents, and my first one is coming out next May. This is a big thrill for me. Called ‘The Italian’s Passionate Revenge’ it concerns a man who lures a woman to Rome, seeking to revenge himself on her because he blames her for the death of his cousin. But things don’t go as he planned.

At this moment I’m writing a book that’s also a departure in that it covers darker territory than I usually write about. The hero looks like Charlton Heston. He’s an Italian called Drago, a harsh troubled man whose wife left him for her lover, and the two of them died together in an accident. A year later he chances to meet the other man’s fiancée, and they grow close because they understand each other as nobody else can. It’s a troubled relationship, and their love develops against all the odds.

Thanks for visiting with us Lucy! For more info on Lucy (including her incredibly romantic story of how she met her husband), visit her website at http://www.lucy-gordon.com/.

Introducing.....

This post is so much fun for me to put up because whenever a new author debuts it's exciting. Not only for that author but for all of us...from newbies like myself to line "veterans" - we all remember how it felt to see our books on the shelves for the first time.

The newest addition to the Romance authors is Michelle Douglas, whose debut release is His Christmas Angel, out now in the UK, North America and Australia!



Well - as soon as I heard about Michelle I knew I needed to know more about her! And once I caught sight of this GORGEOUS cover, I went out and bought a copy and I e-mailed Michelle to ask her to share a bit about herself with us!



So without further blathering on my part... Introducing....(drum roll please.....)



MICHELLE DOUGLAS!



Michelle grew up in the coalfields of NSW, Australia. She can’t remember a time when she couldn’t read... or a time when she hasn’t had a book or ten on her bedside table (or the dining table, coffee table, any spare occasional tables...)



After high school she spent a year working in a clothing factory (sewing the crotch in men’s knickers!) before embarking on a BA with a major in English Literature. She’s back at university now, fifteen years later, enrolled in a Creative Writing Masters.



Michelle has been writing romance for over ten years. In that time it has developed from a hobby into a passion. Three years ago, with a lot of prodding and encouragement from her husband, Greg, she decided to take a hiatus from paid employment and write full-time. HIS CHRISTMAS ANGEL is her first full-time writing effort. She sent the partial to the London office in July 2005. The full manuscript was eventually rejected, but with suggestions for improvements. She made said improvements and, after a couple of additional requests for revisions, the manuscript was accepted in February 2007 (on the 19th to be precise). Needless to say, the champagne flowed!



She and Greg live in Newcastle, Australia, with their full-to-overflowing, bursting-at-the-seams bookcases, and a Siamese fighting fish called Fernando. You can contact her at michelle@michelle-douglas.com or visit her website at http://www.michelle-douglas.com/.







There's also some other fab news to share....Nicola Marsh's book Wife and Mother Wanted has placed THIRD in the Laurel Wreath Contest, judged by booksellers in the Short Contemporary category. Congrats Nic!

Happy Holiday Releases!

The shopping craziness is underway, but hopefully so are some of the truly wonderful things about Christmas - including the smell of baking cookies, the glow of the lights and the warmth of spending time with family and friends. And that also means....

...it's time to reveal the December releases. There are some truly exciting offerings this month...ranging from authors we've read and loved for years to a brand new author to the Romance line! Pick some up for stocking stuffers or prezzies, but don't forget to treat yourself to one - or all - of this great titles!


Snowbound with Mr. Right by Judy Christenberry

Tempting the tycoon out of the city…just in time for Christmas! Sally Rogers's family store is the heart and soul of the small town of Bailey, and she's working all hours to keep her business afloat. So when city slicker Hunter Bedford arrives, determined to buy her out, Sally is furious. No way will she sell to a ruthless businessman like Hunter! Instead, with Christmas approaching, she'll show him the warmth and spirit of Bailey. But as the snow falls thick and fast, they are trapped together and Sally begins to wonder if she's snowbound with Mr. Right…

Read Excerpt


The Millionaire Tycoon's English Rose by Lucy Gordon

Swept into the Italian's arms…

Independent and strong-willed, Celia Ryland never lets her blindness affect the way she lives her life-she thrives on feeling free! Gorgeous Italian Francesco Rinucci has never met a woman with such a zest for life—he loves everything about Celia. But he finds himself wanting to wrap her in cotton wool to protect his precious English rose from all that's dangerous in the world… And although Celia is falling fast for passionate Francesco, she needs to show him that truly loving someone means letting them be free…

Read Excerpt


The Boss's Little Miracle by Barbara McMahon

Promoted and pregnant! Life is about choices—but, as Anna Larkin knows, sometimes life makes those choices for you. Knowing she can never have children, Anna has thrown herself into a high-flying career. She's poised for promotion when in walks her new CEO…the man who broke her heart a few weeks ago! As soon as Tanner realized he was going to be Anna's new boss he ended things—for both their sakes. He knows business and romance don't mix—and Anna agrees—But then Anna discovers that a little miracle has happened—and it changes everything!

Read Excerpt


Their Greek Island Reunion by Carol Grace

Olivia and Jack were the perfect couple—it was clear from the start they were meant for each other… Now, five years on, their fairy-tale wedding is a distant memory and their marriage seems to be almost over. But Jack's never stopped loving Olivia, and has planned for them to spend the summer on the beautiful Greek island where they first met. It's the perfect place to fall in love…the pretty villages, the gently lapping waves on miles of endless golden sand. But is it enough to help Jack and Olivia overcome their past and reunite…forever?

Read Excerpt


Win, Lose…or Wed! by Melissa McClone

This would be the most amazing and romantic race of their lives! After being dumped so publicly, Millie Kincaid never wanted to see Jace Westfall or be on reality TV ever again. But she finds herself on Cash Around the Globe—with Jace! Although she doesn't trust him, to win they must work as a team. They race around the world, tested to their limits, and everything is captured on camera—including their stolen kisses! Can they determine what is real and what is just for TV? And, with the finish line in sight, will they win the one thing that money cannot buy?

Read Excerpt


His Christmas Angel by Michelle Douglas

Once Sol Adams and Cassie Campbell had been inseparable, drawn to each other when times were tough. Cassie has spent the last ten years trying to move on from her life back then, but now Sol is home for Christmas, more gorgeous than ever, and she can't avoid him—or her memories… Sol can see Cassie's changed—she's now a widow, a woman who tirelessly cares for others. But he knows her too well—he can see the hurt and yearning behind her cheerful smile. Can he get to the bottom of her troubled heart and make this Christmas angel his much-loved wife?

Read Excerpt