Thank you, readers!

For many, 2009 has been a difficult year. Now more than ever am I thankful for the things most seem to have taken for granted in recent years.

This year more than any other I’ve heard authors thank their readers for choosing to spend $8-15 dollars on a paperback when they might need it for something more important. While working at a local bookstore, it occurred to me as the year progressed that hardbacks are dying off. People, even those staunch collectors of hardbacks, were forgoing the pristine hardcover for their shelf and reaching for the paperback edition. It seems a shorter time period lapsesbetween hardback and paperback release, and once the paperbacks arrive all but one copy of the title in hardback remains on the shelf. It is obvious that more people are struggling. So it’s all the more humbling to still see them coming into the bookstore and buying their favorite authors just as they did before.

It struck me this year that without readers where would we be, really? The recession has been kind especially to romance writers and we can only hope to give readers the satisfying happy ending they keep coming back for. There’s nothing more rewarding than a fan letter in my inbox. This year, I was honored by an invitation to join a readers’ luncheon booksigning to which I heartily agreed. The speakers addressed readers’ support and spoke for every author in attendance when they said that the readers make the romance genre worthwhile and thanked them profoundly for keeping us in business.

While signing books later in the afternoon, I overheard another author in attendance complaining about a previous signing’s line being too long and that she was exhausted by the end of it and glad to get it over with. I couldn’t believe my ears. It bothered me that this person didn’t sound the least bit grateful for the support of her readers. It shouldn’t matter how tired we are. In today’s market, we should be happy they wanted to see us, shake our hand, exchange a few words, and spend hard-earned money to continue to support us. Reader loyalty is a powerful thing and drives the romance market above all others. Writing the story is only half the job. Making ourselves available to the readers, whether online or in person, is equally important. I hope my readers know how much they are appreciated, how often I stop and reflect on their impact on my work. This Thanksgiving, above all else, I’m thankful for the continued support from readers. Without you, I would be nowhere. I would have given up on my dreams a long time ago. I can only hope to give back everything you’ve given me!

Happy Thanksgiving!

5-Star Review for A SUMMER'S HOPE!

TwoLips Reviews has given contemporary romance A Summer's Hope a 5-star review! Here's a snippet from reviewer Callie:

Briar and Cole forge a fragile relationship that blossoms into something so beautiful others envy it for all its glory.... The story is well written and compelling. I found that I did like this story and I was rooting for Briar and Cole. There are some lovely romantic scenes and good tense scenes written by Ms. Williams. Overall, I was happy with the choice I made in this book, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good romantic read.

A huge thanks to Callie and TwoLips for taking the time to review A Summer's Hope! To read the full review, visit the TwoLips site.

For those interested in purchasing a copy of A Summer's Hope over the holidays, the paperback and ebook editions are available at The Wild Rose Press. Here's a quick looksie:

Briar has spent half her life upholding the family business. As another summer rolls around, it looks like her luck is running dry and she’s dangerously close to losing the only thing that matters, Hanna’s Inn, her late mother’s bed and breakfast. Amidst deep financial difficulty, a shaky relationship with her estranged father, and a non-existent social life, hope is all she has left.

Enter Cole, a new guest at Hanna’s. Fresh from the turmoil of a bitter divorce and haunted by his mistakes, he’s desperate for escape. In a matter of weeks he captures the lonely innkeeper’s heart and together they discover a passion as hot as the southern sun and as unstoppable as the bay tide.

Do they dare trust this wellspring of hope they’ve found in each other’s arms?

Peek into FOREVER AMORE

Huge thank you to Black Lyon Publishing for this beautiful book trailer! Enjoy! (*For full screen view, click on vid title and watch on YouTube*)




Let me know what you think! Forever Amore is available now at Black Lyon Publishing in paperback and ebook. You can also purchase the Kindle at Amazon.com!

Many thanks to voters!

Thanks to those who voted Forever Amore "Best Book of the Week" at LASR! I'm grateful to everyone who took the time to visit the review site and participate in the weekly poll. You've made my week!

FOREVER AMORE - LASR Best Book!!!

*For a limited time only, Forever Amore is also up for Best Book of the week. Vote now at LASR; polls close soon!

Wow, amazing news arrived in my inbox yesterday in the form of Long & Short Reviews' take on historical romance Forever Amore: it's a LASR Best Book! According to site rating specifications, here's the Best Book breakdown:

For a book or story that is truly exceptional. You think about it when you're not reading it. You wonder what happens to the characters when you finish. You would absolutely buy everything else this author had to offer. The highest praise - and reserved for only a few.
- Long & Short Reviews

A huge thanks to the reviewer, Snapdragon, who praised Forever Amore so vividly! Here's a few clips from her review (with the bits I found most touching highlighted):

Amber Leigh Williams’ Forever Amore is a dynamic war-time romance novel.... the age-old story of forbidden love.... One of the nicest things about this is, in this case, it is the main characters’ own sense of duty, or propriety that provides the chief barrier. They are both extremely likable and engage reader sympathies at once. Perhaps, most touching is the efforts of everyday people – and the risks they take – to protect someone who is not even their own.... We feel very clearly the terror of invasion, the potential loss of family or home. The events here make the people who lived and struggled in World War II seem a finer sort than ordinary humanity. Through all this fear they still reached out to help someone else. We do know such tales have a basis in fact. This makes this story, this lovely romance, all the more moving.... There are so many scenes worth noting, that I fear this would become novel in its discussion. Suffice to say this features everything From dogfights to intimacy, love to desperation.... Williams has a particularly poetic turn of phrase and has brought the romantic back to romance. The wonderful visuals her words create and pace of the story give this an overall aura that is heartwarming. Our sympathies are engaged at once, and if feels as if we have stepped back in time and see these events first hand. I must give this a best book, as the rating sheet goes no higher. Mark this a must-read.

I can't thank Snapdragon or LASR enough for the honor of a Best Book rating. I'm incredibly humbled that LASR puts me on par with other Best Book rating recipients like Lisa Kleypas, Hank Phillipi Ryan, and fellow TWRP author Hywela Lyn. To read the full review, visit LASR.

Forever Amore is now available from Black Lyon Publishing in paperback and ebook. The Kindle version can also be downloaded now from Amazon.com.

I thought I'd celebrate by posting an excerpt. Here's the first meeting between Charles and Lucille:

"What …” She paused, trying to catch her breath. “What are you doing here?”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

She didn’t think she could stand another round of emotional battering. “I was selfish. I wanted the escape of you. I wanted to know what it would be like to lay with a man I want to be with.”

“Not that,” he said, turning her face up to his. “Why didn’t you tell me it was arranged? Why didn’t you say you never wanted him?”

“After the way you looked at me after—” Tears burned the backs of her eyes, remembering. “I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t breathe.”

“How can you be going along with this?” he demanded. “Your father… You have to talk to your father. Can’t he see that you’re miserable?”

“It doesn’t matter,” she cried. “They’re sending me away to Switzerland so I won’t cause anymore controversy when the Gestapo arrives.”

The muscles in his jaw jumped as they hardened in fury. “They’re shipping you away because of me.”

The door to the kitchen swung open. Lucille pulled him farther into the pantry to the back wall stacked from high ceiling to stone floor with a well-stocked wine rack.

“You can’t be seen here,” she whispered, gripping his lapel. “As soon as she leaves again, you must go back to the cottage.”

“I’ll talk to your father myself if I have to,” he hissed.

“Charles, I forbid you,” she said, voice trembling now. “You won’t accomplish anything, and he’ll send you away tonight.”

Forever Amore
(c) by Amber Leigh Williams

NaNo Thoughts: Day 12

I admit, I hit a bit of a speed bump. It was called laziness. The speed bump and I got VERY friendly - to the point that I laid down beside it and let that 18-wheeler called NaNo roll right over me, too!

Good news, though: my moment of weakness has come and gone. By the time I realized I was being a total sap, I was two days behind. Yep, I violated NaNo no-no #1 in my RWU newsletter article this month (see November 1 post). Such a hypocrite. *sigh*

My early jump start on progress - when I was bragging about averaging 1800-2200 rather than the required 1667 everyday - helped me catch up faster than I anticipated. I'm no longer at the highest word count among my NaNo Writing Buddies. That would be that person waving down from me and everyone else from the 30K hill way up ahead. But I'm no longer lagging on the NaNo Stats bar graph. That's good enough for me!

One thing that does keep me going is Twitter. From Day One, I've tweeted my word count every evening. And when I stopped tweeting it, I got several wet noodles slung in my cyber face. Thank you to those who helped get me back in gear. I'm back to tweeting regular updates. Please stop hitting me. I may need you later...when the sagging middle hits.

Also something that's crossed my mind - I was stunned to learn how many people do NaNo for the prizes at the end. When I began NaNo in '08, I didn't know there were prizes for those who hit 50K. I didn't realize there was an actual NaNo site until a friend asked me to "buddy" and compete with her there. For me, it was all about getting the novel finished. It's the same this year. My eye's on the finishline, not the prize. As much as I love hitting that word count update button at the top of the NaNo site, the most rewarding part of this whole crazy literary abandon month is having those 50,000 words under my belt on December 1! The only thing that could exceed that is completing it at 90K before the new year, which wouldn't be possible without NaNo in the first place!

Ok, rambling's over. Now back to scratching my head over another brainstorm session. Sexy incubus hunting evil demons who tried killing heroine? I love my job :)

Special Guest: Laura Breck

Today I'm pleased to welcome a guest to The Cozy Page, author Laura Breck! Laura is a fellow blogger at The Roses of Prose and I'm really excited to learn more about her debut novel Secret Vegas Lives:

Bestselling author Antonio Daniato sets a trap to capture his blackmailers, and is surprised when well-known psychologist Valerie Kane stumbles into his arms. She swears she's not involved, but he threatens to expose her unless she reveals her accomplice. When she bares her soul to prove her innocence, Antonio is fascinated by her honesty, but shaken by the intensity of his desire for her.

Surrendering to temptation, Valerie defies her family's wishes and risks her reputation to let hot-blooded, enigmatic Antonio into her life. But she uncovers evidence that he's staging the blackmail scenes as research for his next book—and casting her as the blackmailer. When she confronts him, it's his turn to convince her of his innocence.

Their outrageous sexual attraction keeps them in each other's arms, but mutual distrust prevents them from admitting their deeper emotions. When the true blackmailer threatens to reveal Antonio's double life, Antonio yields to his guilt and chooses to let Valerie go. But Valerie discovers his secret, and will fight for Antonio against an addiction whose hold on him may be stronger than their love.

Secret Vegas Lives is a romance/mystery. This genre seems to be growing again by leaps and bounds. Can you tell us what inspired you to write it?

I lived in Las Vegas for three years, and I loved it! It’s so different from my hometown in Minnesota. People from around the world relocate there, and create a unique culture and personality that is addictive. I wrote Secret Vegas Lives based on a girlfriend’s idea after we visited Vegas for a wild bachelorette party. Woot!

Tell us more about Secret Vegas Lives.

Dr. Valerie Kane is an eminent psychologist who is at the wrong place at the right time, and is mistaken for a blackmailer by crime novelist Antonio Daniato. They both swear they’re not the blackmailer, but their suspicions keep them from exploring the intense attraction between them. When they learn to trust each other, the passion is red-hot. But there’s a reason they’re being blackmailed, and when they learn each other’s secrets, their perfect romance is torn apart.

Which is your favorite protagonist and why?

It has to be Antonio. He’s a flawed, self-indulgent man who embraces his bad-boy persona and lives it to the maximum. He doesn’t care to change, he’s happy with his one-nighters and his secret thrill addiction. Until he meets Valerie, and knows what’s been missing in his life. The love of a soul mate, the sharing a man can only have with someone he trusts completely, and the promise of a future.

You’ve sold another manuscript recently. Congratulations! What do you love most about writing?

I love my Italian series, weaving the characters from each book through the others. And weaving bits of interrelated plot within each book. Sometimes the most amazing things pop into my head, and I quickly write them. Then the next day I fire up my laptop and read what I wrote the day before, and I can only attribute the snappy prose to my muse.

According to your website, you’re a big believer in giving back to the community. Tell us about that.

Each of my books discusses an unpleasant element of society that, with our help, can be changed. That’s why I partner with a charity in the city in which each of my books is set. In Las Vegas, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Shade Tree Shelter, a shelter for women, children, and their pets. Read more about this amazing shelter on its page on my website, LauraBreck.com

You’re a member of Romance Writers of America. Please tell us more about it and if you would recommend new authors join?

I’ve been a member of Romance Writers of America for years. Their local groups, Midwest Fiction Writers of Minnesota, and Wisconsin Romance Writers of America, meet monthly, and other chapters, such as Elements of RWA and ESPAN, are online chapters only. Both the brick-and-mortar meetings and the online groups are extremely helpful, supportive, educational, and worth the tax-deductible membership fees.

Ok, now for the fun part! What's your zodiac and what does it tell you today?

I have given up birthdays due to their aging effect, and thus have eschewed my zodiac sign as well. But today, for me, is another 24 hours of unlimited opportunities to work toward my goals, and to make a difference in the world.

Wow, that's a great one! If you could set a story where you live, what genre would it be? Heart-pounding romantic suspense and sweet contemporary?

Gosh, Saint Paul, Minnesota is probably its very own genre of mild pleasantries and quiet cautiousness. But much closer to sweet contemporary than anything with heart-pounding intensity.

If you were a mixed drink, what would you be and why?

I'm a Hurricane. Sweet to the taste, but fortified with a kick of drive and enthusiasm that kind of sneaks up on you.

What recent read would you recommend?

I'm a big fan of Randy Wayne White, and I just read an older book of his, Captiva. It's a book I'll never forget.

What's your favorite smell and what makes it significant?

Coffee in the morning. We're coffee snobs. We fresh-grind our beans, and use purified water. I love getting up early, sitting at my computer with a cup of coffee, and writing for an hour before anyone else is awake. Oh, and don't even get me started on Saturday mornings...

And last but not least, if you found the Mirror of Erised from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, what would you see in it? (Note: If you aren't an HP junkie like me, the Mirror of Erised is a magical object that is inscribed “I show not your face, but your heart’s desire.” Orphaned Harry sees his parents, his friend Ron sees himself distinguished as Head Boy and Quidditch Captain, and Albus Dumbledore supposedly sees himself with a pair of socks.)

I've watched the movies, but never read the books. I admire your dedication to the author's subtexts, Amber! For me, the mirror would show a schoolgirl at heart.

Can we please have a little teaser from Secret Vegas Lives?

My pleasure!

Chapter One

“Don’t move your lips when you talk,” her sister said from under the blanket in the back seat. “They might be watching you.”

Valerie Kane’s grip on the steering wheel tightened as she turned into the dog park’s empty lot. Through stiff lips, she answered, “We’re here.” She pulled into a spot as far from a light as possible, shifted into park, and killed the engine. “I’m a little nervous.”

“Is your hood up?” Monica asked.

She looked out the windshield. “Hood?”

Her sister heaved a sigh. “On you, not the car.”

Oh, crap, she needed to focus. She tugged the drawstrings of her hooded sweatshirt. “Yeah, it’s up.” She looked around to be sure they were still alone and caught a glimpse of the lights of the Las Vegas strip twinkling blissfully in the distance. A tingle of anxiety ran through her.

“Are we doing the right thing?”

Her sister reached between the seats and gripped her arm. “We don’t have to do this, Val. If you have any doubt, just start the car and let’s go.”

Taking a deep breath, she zipped up her hoodie. “No. We promised. I can do this.” She pressed the unlock button on the doors then glanced back. Monica was well hidden and was lying on the bag containing their cousin’s blackmail payment.

Her sister whispered, “Just go really fast and get back here. Wait, first roll down the windows, so I can hear you if you scream.”

Scream? There was no reason to scream. No one was here. This was just a package pick-up. Her sister was being overcautious.

She pressed the four window buttons. “Here I go.”

Opening the door, she jumped out quickly. If they were watching, she didn’t want the interior light to give away her identity. Tonight she was a body double for their cousin, an Academy Award winning actress.

The blackmailers specified they wanted the actress to make the pick-up and delivery, but Valerie and her older sister, Monica, let their cousin talk them into doing it. Would the blackmailers be fooled? She and her cousin did look similar, with long, straight black hair and light skin, although she was twenty years younger than the actress.

She jogged across the grass, her shaky legs slowing her. The park measured a half-mile square, and, though the sun was down, the temperature had to be in the eighties. Dressed in layers to look heavier, her body heated quickly.

At regular intervals, she slowed and scanned the area. She saw no one, and her jitters eased.

Then a surge of adrenaline pumped through her. She was doing something risky, finally, in her too-safe, over-protected life. And it felt as invigorating as a ride on a roller coaster.
It took a few minutes to reach the middle of the park, where a water fountain stood next to a couple trees.

She stopped a yard short and looked around, hearing only crickets chirruping and her heart whumping. She walked up to the fountain and squatted, reaching under the lower bowl set at dog’s height. She felt it, a package taped to the bottom, and tore it loose. It was heavy. How much cash was in it?

Above her, branches rustled, and a large bulk dropped from the tree, three feet from her. A man, all in black, a foot taller than her and at least a hundred fifty pounds heavier, grabbed her arm, looming over her.

Where can we find out more about your writing?

Stop by my website, LauraBreck.com, to read an excerpt and watch a video trailer of Secret Vegas Lives (available now from RedRosePublishing.com) I’ve also posted an excerpt from the second book in the series, Scandalous L.A. Desires (coming in 2010.)

Do you have a couple of contests for us?

Check out my monthly website drawing, where I give away a heart-shaped carabiner and lipstick USB drive. And today, one random commenter will win a goodie bag of my promotional items.

Thank you so much, Amber, for hosting me on The Cozy Page today. I’ll be around to answer any questions, and to read comments.

Wishing you tons of sales, Laura! Readers, it's your turn to drill Laura! Sound off!

NaNo Thoughts: Day 4

Whew! It's Day 4 of November's National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and so far my 1,667 words a day have been oddly easy. My muse is proving herself very productive and easy to work with. I catch myself wondering, "What's the catch?" Usually as soon as I cozy up to her, she takes a indefinite sabbatical.

Though I am not a morning person, she seems to be. As soon as I wake up, I go straight to the computer in my office. Here I have no wireless signal, which I credit to so far being able to hit my daily word count and then some (averaging roughly 1,800 a day) before lunch or 2 p.m. at the latest. As a reward, I transfer my laptop to the den where I do have wireless internet and answer email, tweet my progress, and update my word count at the NaNoWriMo site. Depending on how engrossed I am in the scene, I go back and add more words, boosting my daily progress. I like knowing throughout the day that the real work's done and I can go back if my muse is still feeling work savvy. Otherwise, I usually tweak my material before bedtime, editing and jotting down ideas for tomorrow or a later plot point.

It's crossed my mind more than once why in the world NaNo is scheduled for November. The holiday rush begins. Thanksgiving plans are debated, college and NFL football distracts on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays, my day job hours pick up.... Did the creators of NaNo pick a challenging month to test participants even further? Really, why November? Why not January? Or February? March? April? May, not so much thanks to graduations and weddings which transfer into June. July is for family vacations. And who wants to be tied to the keyboard when the beach beckons? August is back-to-school. September, the average parent is still adjusting to back-to-school. October, though? What's wrong with October? I'd still really like to know why November is D-Month! Can anyone tell me?

Ok, I promised helpful quotes! These get my fingers moving in the morning:

"Plots are like sharks - they either keep moving or they die!"

- J.R. Ward

"The only thing that stands between a woman & what she wants from life is often merely the will to try it and the faith to believe that it is possible."

- Richard M. Devos (c/o Maree Anderson - Thx!)

“I write when I’m inspired, and I see to it that I’m inspired at nine o’clock every morning.”

- Peter De Vries (c/o Cindi Myers' Market News blog)

"Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill."
-Muhammad Ali

“Every day is an opportunity to make a new happy ending.”
- Author Unknown

“If at first, an idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it.”
- Albert Einstein

"My mind is novel-shaped."

- Zadie Smith

"It may take me a while, but I'll get it."

- Jennifer Hudson, auditioning for Dreamgirls

"The most important thing in writing is to have written. I can always fix a bad page. I can’t fix a blank one."

- Nora Roberts

*At The Roses of Prose, we're talking about NaNoWriMo all week long. Stop by!*

NaNo Notes

NaNo 2009 and a month of literary abandon officially launched yesterday. Over 100,000 writers signed up to take the 50,000 word challenge. I thought I'd share some of my notes from last year from this month's Romance Writers United's "Write Right" newsletter.

*If anyone would like a copy of this month's informative RWU newsletter, contact me at amber@amberleighwilliams.com. I will be happy to forward!*

It’s November again and writers everywhere are gritting their teeth and downing copious amounts of caffeine. Why? Because November 1st marks the first day of National Novel Writing Month, otherwise known as NaNo.

2008 marked my first NaNo year. I hadn’t written a full-length novel in over twelve months so NaNo seemed like the perfect way to get my muse back in shape. When November 1st rolled around, I was feeling a mix of high anticipation and impending doom. I’d never pantsed a day in my life. The goal is to write 50,000 words in one month. Whether I knew my next plot point or not, I had no choice. I had a loud cricket on my shoulder guilting me out of procrastination and back to my new MS Word document. I just barely scraped by that 50,000 mark at midnight on November 30th. I fell behind in the third week thanks to the first holiday rush at my day job. With the help of Jiminy and a husband who offered to sling wet noodles whenever he saw me slacking in my free time, I came out of NaNo victorious!

I’ve met quite a few writers who are doing NaNo for the first time this year. The last 2009 count for NaNo was 78,000 and growing. I thought I’d share a few notes-to-self from the trenches to help get first-timers in gear:

#1 – You must write 1667 words today. If you don’t, you’ll be forced to write 3334 words tomorrow. And while NaNo’s website claims 1700 isn’t physically impossible, 3334 might just be.

#2 – It helps to have a coach. Prior to this year and last year’s NaNo, I asked my husband to keep me on my toes. I gave him a title, too, which he seemed to like: The Muse-Buster! First though, I warned him I might hate him at some point. Also bought him a hard hat and some Kevlar.

#3 – Be prepared to live, breathe, and eat your characters. Okay, well maybe not eat – but you know what I mean! You go to bed thinking about them and the story and wake up the same way. You dream about them—more than you already do. Your fingers will do the typing motion in your sleep. If you’re desperate to get away, you must remind yourself that procrastination won’t come until December 1st – and oh how sweet that day will be if you’ve got those fresh 50,000 words under your belt (or on your back-up hard drive) and you’ve silenced that cricket on your shoulder.

I gathered more advice from veteran NaNo writers around the web. Here’s some of their advice:

Pace yourself. Daily word count is 1667 - if needed do it in 10 minute increments throughout the day.
- Delilah K. Stephans

Plan easy meals for your family. Realize they will survive without you for a month. Remember it is only 1667 words a day.
- Jill James

Write at the same time, for the same amount of time, every day, and eliminate all distractions.
- Kelly L. Stone

If anyone else has any advice or thoughts on NaNo, email it to amber@amberleighwilliams.com. I’ll add it to weekly encouragement posts at The Cozy Page (http://amberleighwilliams.blogspot.com) throughout the month of November!

Here’s to literary abandon!