J. Keely Thrall writes paranormal romance in the shadows of the Washington National Cathedral. She is the current president of the Washington Romance Writers, the local chapter of Romance Writers of America serving DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland writers. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a degree in American History and Italian Language and received an MFA from American University in Film and Electronic Media. She’s bounced around career-wise with stints as a producer, substitute teacher, office temp, secretary, Mary Kay Beauty Consultant (don’t laugh!), and proofreader. At one time, this flitting from job to job caused her concern until Mary Jo Putney spelled it out in a lecture: the work history of writers is often littered with attempts to fit into a “real” job. Greatly reassured, Keely now stopped worrying and learned to love the bomb. Well, stopped worrying at any rate. She’s still pretty anti-bombs.

Keely won the FFP chapter’s On the Far Side contest in the General Paranormal category in 2008 with Honor Bound, her Golden Heart manuscript. To learn more about Keely, visit her blog.

HONOR BOUND finaled in the paranormal category of the Golden Heart:

“An elf walks into a bar and all hell breaks loose.”

King’s Garda Detective Della Fiore has raised following the rule book to an art form. Bartender Joe Tracker has always been a rolling-stone-gathers-no-moss kind of werewolf. Della believes there are good guys and bad guys and not much gray in between. Joe believes in hanging loose, playing the field, and feeling groovy. She thinks hunting down the person who stabbed and nearly killed her foster brother is the right thing to do. He thinks any course of action that might end in his new-found mate’s death sucks the big one. He’s just not into wooing a corpse.

What begins as an uneasy partnership grows into something deeper as Della and Joe search for the reason behind the attempted murder and find more than they bargained for. Something evil is afoot in King City and it’s just beginning to play.

It’s great to have Keely here today! Here’s a little more about this paranormal author: 

1)     How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing off and on most of my life. I’ve been a member of RWA and WRW for 10 years, but it has only been since the creation of my current CG that I’ve become more focused on publication and working toward a viable career as an author.

2)     Did you always want to be an author or is this something you fell into later in life?
The first time I realized I wanted to be an author was as a teenager. I’d finally read enough books so I could differentiate between, “wow, fantastic, must read this again right now!” and “wow, this book sucked dookie, I could write better than this.”

 3)     What do you do in your “other” life? (Day job, family, etc.)
I’m an executive assistant in a small, dynamic religious organization. I’m “unchurched” myself, but I thoroughly enjoy my job at Church House – my coworkers are like family which makes spending 40 or so hours a week with them no hardship.

4)     Who are your favorite authors?
Hard, hard questions to answer, there are soooo many favorites. I’m a big paranormal reader so Patricia Briggs, Charlaine Harris, this year Rita Nominee Eileen Wilks are auto-buys. Lois McMaster Bujold, Guy Gavriel Kay, and Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game. Agatha Christie (she knew evil), Dorothy Sayers, Dick Francis. Carla Kelly, Mary Balogh, Jo Beverly. Jennifer Crusie, Kristan Higgins, and, and, and…where do I end it???

5)     Do you have an agent?
Not as yet. Working on it though!

6)     Where do you see yourself in five years?
I see myself writing full time, possibly with a part-time job to get me out in the world (unlike a lot of writers, I’m an extrovert. I need to balance my alone time with regular people interaction). Fingers crossed, I also see myself with a fabulous new kitchen that I can point to and say, “I made that happen because of my writing!”

And now, in Keely’s own words…

*** 

Stories that have had an impact on my life…

 “The Girl Who Would Rather Climb Trees” by Miriam Schlein

 I think the title says it all, really. This was a perfect book for a tomboy who didn’t much like to read, didn’t like wearing dresses, didn’t love her “dolly” and spent much of each summer in the arms of a big maple tree, hidden from the world behind a veil of sun soaked green leaves. My imagination took flight – I would believe it if someone told me the idea for “green screen” movie technology had been thought up by a person who’d spent his/her time the same way.

 “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card

 A story that keeps on giving. This book was one of the first science fiction stories I read and I completely bought into the world. I believed these little kids could go to war school and save the world by basically playing video games. That’s a gross simplification. The character of Ender Wiggin is so finely drawn you feel you are this genius, empathetic, unwanted child who is forced to do horrible things to survive. I re-read this book every few years. It’s a classic.

“Washington Square” by Henry James

Yawn. Barf. I studied in Italy for a semester where there was a real dearth of English language books. I picked up a copy of this nauseating story and got through about 4/5s of it before realizing that I just didn’t care. I didn’t care about the heroine. I didn’t care about the villains. I admit to feeling the same way about Jane Eyre and Rebecca and Sister Carrie and ESPECIALLY Madame Bovery. Please, women, grow some damned backbone. <<shudder>> I think it was after this reading mishap that I realized I didn’t need to “read the classics” to feel like a well educated human being. I’d rather enjoy myself than slog through stories where nobody wins or where I think the victory is hollow.

“Lord Richard’s Daughter” by Joan Wolf and a Harlequin Presents by Violet Winspear

Cannot remember the title of the Violet Winspear, but these two stories were the very first romances I ever read. I was on summer vacation in the middle of nowhere Michigan and had read everything in the cottage. I went down to the IGA and in one of those squeaky metal racks that spin around and around, I met my destiny and it said: Thou shalt love romance. And I obeyed. Interestingly to me, I’ve continued to read widely in the genre from historical to Presents to romantic suspense to paranormal. I wonder if I’d bought two Regencies or two Presents whether the road I’ve traveled would be quite so broad and all encompassing? I love thinking about roads not taken. There are always stories there waiting to be uncovered.

“Honor Bound” by…me

Okay, this is a bit of a cheat. It’s not that I think my book will be life changing for others. It’s that it has been life changing for me. It’s the first story I ever completed and it made it to the final round of the Golden Heart. That’s an accomplishment I will always get to savor, regardless of what transpires on July 31^st. This crack at finishing the WIP was all about a fantastic critique group, a reinvigorated sense of purpose, and a dedication to putting in the hours to make it to THE END. I’m proud of that.

What are the books that have gotten you through life? Are there any that were so bad you immediately took up your pen and started to write? Any that have been so good you stopped writing for awhile? Do you tend to read more in one genre, more of one gender, more that will generate a specific emotion from you? What’s on your keep shelf?

Though she’s lived in Southern zip codes more than half her life, Romantic Suspense Golden Heart finalist Linda Lovely never untangled from her Iowa roots. Give her a pork tenderloin sandwich any day, but hold the grits and sweet tea, please. Her strong-willed, working mom taught her to stand up for herself and to laugh often. She tries to do both. She’s stubborn—hence her dogged determination to see one of her romantic suspense manuscripts published–and she’s lucky to have a husband (Tom) who loves to read as much as she does, believes in her, and thinks she’s good company.

While this is Linda’s first year to enter the Golden Heart competition, she’s participated in the RWA contest circuit since 2007. Her five manuscripts (four complete, one work in progress) have finaled 16 times and won three contests. Learn more about Linda by visiting her website. 

And now a little about Linda’s Golden Heart finaling book–COUNTERFEIT:

One night, Nexi Ketts beds a handsome cop and wakes when the imposter tries to kill her. She jams a screwdriver in his gut and flees naked, causing a fender bender and making it damn hard for Detective Barry Gerton to think clearly. A decade earlier, when she was a lonely, overweight teen, she changed her name to escape the shadow of her infamous parents. As a joke, she chose an anagram for “sex kitten.” Now, all grown up, she’s a sexy forensic accountant, who makes a living catching corporate cheats—partial atonement for dear old dad’s embezzling ways. A second attempt on Nexi’s life makes it clear she’s on someone’s hit list. Who’s trying to kill her and why? The search for answers leads to Jamaica, where a heart-stopping game of hide-and-seek takes Nexi and Barry from Kingston’s barrios to the wild Cockpit region and a harrowing showdown in Dragon’s Throat cave. 

Before we dive into Linda’s blog post, here are some questions I asked Linda to answer so we could all get to know her a little better:

1) How long have you been writing?
An alumna of Northwestern University’s journalism program, I’ve always made my living as a writer. The writing has been the any-project-for-a-buck variety—speeches, ad copy, brochures, newsletters, web sites, trade and travel magazine articles, Help documentation, radio and TV spots, etc. I first decided to try my hand at fiction a decade ago.

2) Did you always want to be an author or is this something you fell into later in life?
I’ve been an avid reader of romantic suspense, mysteries and thrillers since my college days. However, I never considered writing a book until I was hired to pen an “as told to” book. That project was shelved when my clients settled a lawsuit and agreed not to publish. That exercise gave me the confidence to believe I could write a book that would keep readers turning pages.

3) What do you do in your “other” life? (Day job, family, etc.)
I continue to tackle writing projects for long-term clients. I also handle communications for Advocates for Quality Development, Inc., a nonprofit that fosters responsible development in Upstate South Carolina. I live on a lake and love to swim and kayak. I also play tennis and garden, and I’m helping my husband finish our basement.

4) Who are your favorite authors?
My list is VERY long and eclectic, so I’ll limit myself to romantic suspense: J.D. Robb/Nora Roberts, Allison Brennan, Roxanne St. Claire, Suzanne Brockmann, Cindy Gerard, and Elisabeth Naughton, who hooked me with the first line in STOLEN HEAT—“All things considered, she looked pretty good for a six-year-old corpse.”

5) Do you have an agent?
No. I’m hoping to land an agent who loves romantic suspense, adventure and mystery and believes I have the talent for a successful, long-term career. 

6) Where do you see yourself in five years? 
Writing romantic suspense and mystery/adventure stories with strong romantic elements—even if I’m still unpublished. It’s hard to explain to folks who aren’t addicted how much fun it is to have colorful characters take up residence in your head and tell you their stories. Those characters never stop talking and love to suggest plot twists while you’re in the shower and nowhere near a piece of paper. I hope I continue to improve my craft and my ability to entertain readers (and myself).

(Oh, man, Linda…I so get those nosey characters in the shower!)

Okay, now on to Linda’s awesome post. I hope you enjoy!!

***
Critique Partners—Respect, Trust and Laughter

I can’t imagine writing in a vacuum. Many writers say they are loners by nature and shy. Not me. Yes, I can plant my butt in front of the computer and write in lovely solitude for hours on end. But, eventually, I need people—specifically critique partners I respect and trust—to read my stories, share reactions, suggest improvements, kick me in the behind if I start whining and make me laugh. And I learn even more craft secrets by reading their manuscripts, congratulating them on what works and trying to puzzle out why some things fall flat—even when the language is exquisite. (All my critique partners are superb storytellers.)

I’ve been critiquing with Maya Reynolds, the author of two erotic romances (BAD GIRL and BAD BOY) for years. Though we’ve never met in person, I cherish our friendship. We connected as members of an online critique group that grew out of a Sisters in Crime loop. The other members fell away, but Maya and I stuck it out. While we now write in different genres, we continue to critique. I can’t speak for Maya, but I’m always delighted to see one of her emails in my in basket. Among other things, she’s broadened my horizons—pulling me with her into erotic romance and paranormal. That exposure has freed me to take more chances in my own work. She isn’t afraid to call me on wordiness, question my character’s motives or point out holes in my plot. But she does so with kindness. We don’t always agree, but I know that if I ignore her advice I’d better have a darn good reason for rejecting it. I respect her, trust her judgment. She’s made me a better writer, a better storyteller, and a happier person. She makes me laugh. Critiquing, when it’s done right, is more than pointing out comma splices and overuse of adverbs.

While Maya is one of my long-term critique partners, Robin Weaver, a fellow Golden Heart and Daphne finalist, is one of my newest. Like Maya, she’s a treasure who writes in multiple genres and has a distinctive voice. We met through RWA’s online Kiss of Death chapter. As an added bonus, I get to be Robin’s roommate at the RWA National convention in July.

Of course, not all of my critique experiences have been this rewarding. You have to “get” each other’s work in order to offer constructive criticism. My advice to writers considering a critiquing relationship is to try a 10- or 20-page exchange with no commitment to read and comment on more. Then, if you don’t click, you can say goodbye without hurt feelings. If you do connect, you’ll never regret the time it takes to share your comments.

What do you want in a critique partner?

Check it out! MARKED is featured on the home page for Publisher’s Weekly!!! Squee!

Sharon Lynn Fisher writes sci-fi romance and battles writerly angst with baked goods, Irish tea, and champagne. Her novel Ghost Planet was named a finalist for the 2009 and 2010 Golden Heart Award, and she also took first place in both the Great Expectations contest and the On the Far side contest. Sharon’s first accomplishment as a writer came at the age of 10, when she received an honorable mention for her story “Ice Age Adventure” from Cricket Magazine.  To learn more about Sharon and her writing, you can find her at the following links:

Sharon’s Website
Sci-Fi Romance Brigade
Ruby Slippered Sisterhood 

And now a little about Sharon’s back to back Golden Heart finaling manuscript -SHADOWED (previous title - Ghost Planet), which you’ll see in the Paranormal Category:

Psychologist Elizabeth Cole is about to discover three facts that will change her forever: She died en route to her new job. She’s been reincarnated as an alien. She’s bound to a man who believes she’s his enemy. 

(Okay, can I just say I really want to read this book now? Just from those four simple sentences! )

I asked Sharon to tell us a little bit about herself before we dive into her post:

1)  How long have you been writing?
Since I was six. The first story I remember writing was about a little girl who shrank and had an adventure in her grandmother’s strawberry patch. My sci-fi roots go deep.  

2) Did you always want to be an author or is this something you fell into later in life?
I’ve wanted to be an author for as long as I can remember. Books have always been my passion, and as a child I played hooky so I could stay home and read. My first attempt at a novel came at age 13 — a story about a boy who used a spinning cube to travel in time. (Recognizing a pattern here?)  

3) What do you do in your “other” life? (Day job, family, etc.)
I have a husband and young daughter, and I work as a freelance copywriter and editor. A friend and colleague of mine passed away two years ago, and she was only a couple years older than me. Since then I have simplified my life as much as possible so I can focus on my fiction writing. I’m also a mountain biker, food/wine enthusiast, shoe addict, and cupcake FREAK.

4) Who are your favorite authors?
This question is always really hard for me. Instead can I say the books that have inspired me the most? They are:  A Wrinkle in Time, Watership Down, Jane Eyre, Lord of the Rings, Pride & Prejudice, Outlander, Maia, and Anthony Trollope’s Phineas Finn books. Also a nonfiction book called Touching the Void, because it is such an amazing story of survival through sheer mental focus.

5) Do you have an agent?
Yes, I’m represented by Robin Rue and her fabulous assistant Beth Miller of Writers House. More about that in my post…
 
6) Where do you see yourself in five years?
Supporting myself through my fiction, I hope, and trying not to stress about the fact my daughter is growing up too fast. I would also like to move to Ireland. I’m not sure my husband is going to go along with this.

(Oh, man…I want to go to Ireland with you…)

Okay, enough rambling from me. And now, in Sharon’s own words…

***

In January 2008, I had never heard of Stephenie Meyer. A friend gave me her copy of Twilight, saying, “You like vampires, right? This is set in Forks.” (I live in Seattle, just a few hours away.)

At that point in my life I was weaning an 18-month-old, and I was still telling myself that someday I’d get serious about my childhood dream of writing. I’d worked at it diligently for five or six years after college, but careers, relationships, and a cross-country move derailed all my good intentions.

I read Twilight, and it changed my life. It had less to do with the story itself (though I certainly read it as compulsively as the next person) than it did with reading the author bio, growing curious, and looking up the details of Meyer’s success story on her web site.

Meyer said the most important thing is to write the story that grabs you by the hair, drags you into a cave, and won’t let you out until you’ve finished it. Actually that’s not what she said, but you get the idea — write the story you love so much you feel compelled to tell it.  

Even then, I knew how unusual success stories like hers are, but I’m a firm believer in “there’s only one way to guarantee it won’t happen.” So I took her advice to heart. Within a month of reading Twilight, I got the idea (or rather, IT got ME) for my two-time Golden Heart finalist manuscript, Ghost Planet (aka Shadowed). Eight weeks later I had a completed draft.

So much has happened since then… I signed with an agency that nurtured my talent and helped me evolve my manuscript. I attended my first RWA Nationals. I parted amicably from my agent when we both realized we weren’t the right fit. My book was named a GH finalist a second time.

A week or so after the GH calls went out this spring, I came full circle with my Meyer “connection.” I had queried an agent at Meyer’s agency, Writers House, during my first agent search. I was lucky enough to receive a manuscript request, and a wonderful critique from the agent’s assistant. Finding myself agentless in February, but fortified with a freshly rewritten manuscript, I approached the assistant again. She remembered my book and agreed to read the new version.

From the research Meyer had done before querying, she considered Writers House a dream agency, and so did I. I was proud of the work I’d done on the manuscript, but I tried not to have expectations. In early April I got the call — actually an email requesting the call — and I signed with my dream agent.

Today I wonder if I’d have had the guts to stick with it this far if I hadn’t read Meyer’s story. I mean, there’s a lot of terrific, essential information out there for writers these days, but much of it seems to imply there’s a better chance of Bella choosing Jacob than of you ever selling your book. You have to shut all of that out and write the story that grabs you by the hair.

Now it’s your turn! Do you remember the moment when you decided, “Okay, I’m really going to do this”? Who or what inspired you?

A writer and attorney living in upstate New York, Lisa Connelly is the author of a fitness book, “Lean & Firm” (Perigee), as well as numerous newspaper articles, book reviews, newsletters and other publications.  She holds a BA in English from the State University of New York at Albany and a JD from New England Law School.  Currently, she works for the New York State court system and lives on five rural acres with her husband Billy and their dog Bella.  her manuscript – THE SINNERS – is a finalist in the Romantic Elements category of the Golden Heart® contest and was also a finalist in the VFRW’s Sheila contest.

A little about Lisa’s GH finaling manuscript:

Lilianne Oulette’s future is all mapped out – finish college, marry the rich and handsome Claude Defoe, and live a luxurious life in his French chateau. So maybe it’s Claude’s plan, not hers, but she’s okay with it – until she runs into Jack McCabe. As teenagers, Jack pulled Lilianne from the fiery car wreck that killed her parents. Six years later he’s the sexy singer in the red hot band, The Sinners. Their attraction is instant and undeniable, and Lilianne realizes that her future is about to change.  The problem is, Claude liked the old plan, and he’ll do whatever it takes to get Lilianne back with the program, even if he has to destroy Jack and break her heart to do it. 

I asked Lisa to answer a few questions so we could get to know her better before we dive into her post. Here’s what she had to say:

1.  How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing fiction for about five years.  My GH finaling manuscript is the second I’ve completed, the first being a historical that I learned a lot from, and still haven’t quite given up on.

2.  Did you always want to be an author or is this something you fell into later in life?
I can’t say I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but I’ve always recognized that it’s my fate, in part because almost every teacher I’ve ever had – from Mrs. Wolf in kindergarten through Professor Sorenson in law school – has expected it of me.  So did my Mom and Dad.  Of course, faced with so much confidence, encouragement and positive reinforcement, what could I do but thumb my nose at all of them and spend many years trying on lots of other careers.  Despite my best efforts, though, each of those other paths inexorably led me into writing – corporate newsletters, newspaper articles, and eventually a fitness book (Lean & Firm, Perigee).  In desperation, I fled to the law, only to gravitate toward the most writing-intensive aspect of the profession – working in the courts, which primarily involves writing bench memoranda and drafting judicial opinions.  So finally I said, what the heck, and started writing romance.

3.  What do you do in your “other” life? (Day job, family, etc.)
I’m a lawyer by day, privileged to work with a dedicated, outstanding judge and brilliant colleagues.  I’m also on the faculty at Albany Law School, where I teach Appellate Practice.  I’m married to a great guy who’s a fantastic guitarist in a totally rockin’ band called Slick Fitty.  He also happens to be an editor by day, which is really handy.  We travel a lot, especially to visit my brother and his family, who conveniently live in Paris!  And when we’re home, we’re foster parents (along with our dog Bella) to a succession of deserving dogs through Homeward Bound Dog Rescue.

4.   Who are your favorite authors?
For romance, I love Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Judith McNaught, Lisa Kleypas and Diana Gabaldon, to name just a few.  For historical, I’m a huge Patrick O’Brian fan, Dorothy Dunnett too.  And I love fantasy – Robert Jordan, JRR Tolkein, Terry Brooks.  Poetry – Edna St. Vincent Millay, Maya Angelou, Banjo Paterson, Samuel Coleridge.  Oh gosh, so many more.  So many books, so little time!

5.   Do you have an agent?
No agent yet.  In the first flush of exhilaration over the GH, I sent out a handful of queries.  But when I came back down to earth, I realized that I need to do some serious revising before I do any serious querying, so that’s what I’m working on right now.  I hope to finish that up in the next month and start querying again.

6.   Where do you see yourself in five years?
In five years, I see myself right where I am at this moment, sitting in my recliner typing on my laptop . . . but with a handful of my own books on the shelf, a kick-ass agent who’s always in my corner, a brilliant editor who adores my work, an enthusiastic publisher hounding me for more bestsellers, and a community of writer friends who will support me through the ups and downs and allow me to do the same for them.

(I love the fact Lisa sees herself in her recliner typing away five years from now. I’m currently camped out on the couch with my laptop, typing away too!)

Okay, so now that you know a little bit about Lisa, here she is in her own words.

Welcome, Lisa!

***

I often ask myself why I write when there are so many other things I love to do – read, paint, hang with friends, travel to foreign lands – that are soooo much easier.  No rejection involved, no angst, no hand-wringing about whether I’m good enough or hip enough or clever enough to get it done.  So seriously, why do I do it when it takes time away from all those simple pleasures, keeps me in seclusion for days, exacerbates my carpal tunnel. . . .

Because I’m addicted, that’s why.  You’ve heard of a runner’s high?  Well, I get a writer’s high.  It comes on me when the story’s running hot, flowing like lava, and I don’t know what’s gonna happen next until I hit the keys that spell it out.  Where is it coming from, so fast, so furious that my fingers can’t keep up and I break into shorthand just to get it down!  Am I channeling from another dimension, tapped into a cosmic plane?  I don’t know, but whatever else it is, it’s pure adrenaline, an out-of-body experience, a rocket ride to a place I’ve never been but somehow know like the back of my hand.

And then – wow –  I look up and five hours have flown, my bladder’s bursting, and I feel like I can accomplish anything, anything at all in the whole wide world.  How it works, why it happens, is a mystery I’ll never solve.  But it’s what brings me back to the keyboard every time, that incomparable writer’s high.

I’d love to hear what compels you to sacrifice time with family, friends, and your other interests to sit alone with your keyboard.  What makes you need to tell your stories? 

Ever heard of the Golden Heart Awards? If you exist outside the world of publishing, you might not have. The Golden Heart is a yearly award that honors excellence in unpublished romance manuscripts by Romance Writers of America®. This year, more than 1,000 manuscripts were judged in 10 different categories. The number of finalists in each category is dependant on the number of entries that category receives, but on average there are eight finalists per category. To see a list of finalists for this year, go here.

Some of you may not know this, but I was Golden Heart finalist back in 2007 with my manuscript, MAKE ME BELIEVE. That manuscript didn’t win the GH in romantic suspense, but it DID go on to sell in February of 2008 and was retitled STOLEN FURY, which became my debut release. And for those of you who follow me and my books, you know that STOLEN FURY was nominated this year for RWA’s prestigious RITA Awards, which promotes excellence in the romance
genre by recognizing outstanding published romance novels and novellas. As a romance writer, I can tell you finaling in either the RITAs or the Golden Heart is a big deal. Both the RITAs and the Golden Heart Awards will be given out the same night, at RWA’s 30th Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida on July 31, 2010.

Many writers who final in the Golden Heart go on to sell–not just the winners–so it’s always fun to see who finaled (or won) and watch their careers take off. A few of my favorite authors who were once Golden Heart finalists include:

Terry McLaughlin
Bronwyn Parry
Kris Kennedy
Robin Kaye
Trish Milburn
Linda Castillo
Jane Porter
Christina Dodd
Kristin Hannah
Jo Davis
CL Wilson
Courtney Milan

In honor of this special recognition, for the next 10 weeks–until the RWA National Convention in Orlando–I’m going to be spotlighting two Golden Heart finalists per week here on my blog. These writers don’t have books out on the shelves yet, but something tells me you’ll be seeing these names in the future. The spotlights will run Tuesdays and Thursdays until the end of July when the winners will be announced in Orlando. I hope you enjoy getting to know some of these GH finalists and pass the word around. The first spotlight will go up tomorrow!

Hey all!

Okay, I know, I know…I’ve been MIA the last week. Apologies for that. Release week always kicks my butt and as it turned out I didn’t get a lick of writing done. So last week I hibernated because I have a book due June 1 (The 3rd Eternal Guardians book, which I am SO loving!). I’m happy to report I’m at the climax of the story now, so I should be able to wrap this baby up in the next week or two. Then I’m moving on to book four, which I am totally excited about.

So now on to the good “stuff”…

If you were a winner in my release day contest, I’m putting together packages today so you should be getting them soon. Also, I have three (yes, THREE) $25 online gift card winners to announce. These were the “part two” winners from my release contest. People who talked up the release of MARKED here and there and everywhere prior to the book’s release. So without further adieu, the winners are…

Jody
(Who, by the way, sent out daily tweets and notices about MARKED – thank you, Jody!)
Daniel Boucher
Nancy Gilliland

Winners, please contact me at elisabeth@elisabethnaughton.com with your online bookstore preference. Your choices are: •Amazon, •Barnes & Noble, •B-A-M, •Borders, •Chapters, •IndieBound, •Powell’s.

Today I’m over at Paranormality talking about soul mates and giving away a copy of MARKED. So stop by and say hi and tell me what you think about soul mates.

And finally…big congrats to my CP, Joan Swan, who found out last week that she finaled in the Daphnes with her book Safe In Enemy Arms! Congrats, Joan!