NEW BOOKS:

JANE PORTER released She’s Gone Country earlier this month. I got to read this book months ago and loved it. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Check out the Readers’ Guide for the book — a great tool for book clubs! Even better: be a cover girl yourself! (Seriously, check this thing out. It’s easier than it looks, super fun, and a cool prize. How do I know it’s easy? Er, that’s me in the example photo.)

SUSAN ANDERSEN released Burning Up today. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Catch the story behind the story in Susan’s Between the Covers feature. If you enjoy finding out where ideas originate, this is a great, quick read.

MONICA MCCARTY released The Hawk, book two in the Highland Guard series, also today. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Loads more fantastic info in Monica’s Special Features section for the Highland Guard series. You haven’t checked this out yet? Wow. Are you in for a treat!

NEW-AGAIN BOOKS:

SUSAN ANDERSEN’s Obsessed was re-issued for the second time on August 1. It was originally published in 1993, and was re-issued for the first time in 2001.

LORI FOSTER’s The Watson Brothers got a second life when it was re-released on August 3. Originally published in September 2008, it contains the stories of Sam, Gil, and Pete Watson. My House, My Rules, Bringing Up Baby, and Good With His Hands.

HOPE TARR’s A Rogue’s Pleasure, originally published in 2000, was re-issued as an e-book on August 16.

NEW EXCERPTS:

DIANE GASTON posted an excerpt from Chivalrous Captain, Rebel Mistress, Book Two in Diane’s Three Soldiers Series, due out in September.

MAYA BANKS posted an excerpt from The Darkest Hour, due out in early September. It is the first book in her Kelly series. She also posted a new sneak peek for Four Play, due out in October.

GERRI RUSSELL posted a sneak peek excerpt from her novella The Border Lord’s Bride, which will be published in the anthology The Betrothal, headlined by powerhouse Mary Balogh, due out in late September.

JENNIE LUCAS posted an excerpt from The Virgin’s Choice, due out in the UK in October. It will be released in North America under the title The Bride Thief in January 2011.

STEPHANIE TYLER posted an excerpt from Lie With Me, the first book in her new Shadow Force series. It is due out in late October. She also posted a new sneak peek for Promises in the Dark, book two in the Shadow Force series and is due out in late November.

LAURA LEE GUHRKE posted a sneak peek from Wedding of the Season, due out in late December. It is the first book in her new series, Abandoned at the Altar.

More coming next month!

©2010 Waxcreative Design Blog. All Rights Reserved.

NEW BOOKS:

ELOISA JAMES released A Kiss at Midnight today, July 27. This is the first time in recent memory I have not gotten to read Eloisa’s book early, but I see Eloisa herself today so I plan to be ensconced with this Cinderella tale by dinner. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Right now, for about another week, Eloisa has a reader contest through which two lucky people are going to win B+N Nooks. What are you waiting for?

On July 1 HOPE TARR released The Tutor, a yummy historical featuring a returning character from Hope’s 2008 book, Untamed. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: For pretty much the first time, animal activist Hope does not cast a rescue kitty in her book. Find out what rescue animal stars in this Tarr tale. And not quite on her own site, but this is special: Hope was mentioned earlier this month in The New York Times (scroll towards bottom of article).

On July 6 KARMA WILSON released The Cow Loves Cookies, a very-young-children’s book about a cow that can’t get enough of cookies! AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Full spreads of a few of the inside pages… adorable!

RED GARNIER released The Secretary’s Bossman Bargain on July 13. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Free, gorgeous bookmark! (Link will take you to download option or for the actual piece, an address for an SASE).

ELIZABETH BOYLE contributed to The Mammoth Book of Regency Romance which released in the US today, July 27 (Available since June 24 in the United Kingdom). AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Elizabeth’s first comic book / manga versions of her romances have started to arrive. Get the scoop. (And as an extra, scroll down to get the scoop on the sneak peek of her next novel!)

NEW-AGAIN BOOKS:

HOPE TARR’s My Lord Jack, originally published in 2002, was reissued as an e-book on July 12.

MAYA BANKS released Wild, a print anthology featuring two of her eBooks, Amber Eyes and Golden Eyes, on July 6.

NEW EXCERPTS:

HOPE  TARR posted an excerpt from A Rogue’s Pleasure, which was originally published in 2000 but is getting a second life as an e-book in mid-August.

MONICA McCARTY posted an excerpt from The Hawk, also due out in mid-August.

SUSAN ANDERSON posted an excerpt from Burning Up, due out in September.

MAYA BANKS posted a sneak peek excerpt from The Darkest Hour, due out on September 7.

DIANE GASTON posted a sneak peek excerpt from Chivalrous Captain, Rebel Mistress, due out in September.

ELIZABETH BOYLE posted a sneak peek excerpt from Mad About the Duke, due out in late September.

MICHAEL SPRADLIN posted a sneak peek excerpt from The Youngest Templar: Orphan of Destiny, due out in late October.

SUSANNA CARR posted a sneak peek excerpt from Wicked Wonderland, due out in November.

KATHRYN CASKIE posted a sneak peek from The Duke’s Night of Sin, due out in late November.

©2010 Waxcreative Design Blog. All Rights Reserved.

NEW BOOKS:

LORI FOSTER released The Gift of Love on June 1. It is a benefit anthology featuring stories by some of today’s favorite and bestselling authors. All author and agent proceeds from the sale of the book will go to benefit The Conductive Learning Center, a special school for children with spina bifida and cerebral palsy. Lori also released Unbelievable, a repackage of classic reader favorites Fantasy and Tantalizing later in the month, on June 29.  AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Lori’s site offers a free printable calendar of all her book releases during the year as an easy-to-download PDF.

MAYA BANKS released the long-awaited Colters’ Lady, book 2 in the Colters’ Legacy series, on June 1. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: This is a new site, so the whole thing is a bonus! But for you rabidly loyal fans, Maya recently announced her coming soon book news, including additions to the Sweet Series and upcoming Kelly Series, so y’all can stop emailing me about it now. :0)

RED GARNIER released The Feather on June 1. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: request the accompanying awesome “size matters” super-slick, big bookmark for this book straight from Red’s site.

JENNIE LUCAS released Sensible Housekeeper, Scandalously Pregnant in the UK. It will be available in North America in mid-September. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Jennie features an online treat in her FAQ section: check out her simple, easy diet tricks! (And this woman doesn’t have a lick of pregnancy weight on her, so her advice is backed up!)

MAYA RODALE released A Groom of One’s Own on June 29. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Catch a Deleted Scene from A Groom of One’s Own in her blog.

PAMELA PALMER released Rapture Untamed on June 29. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Pamela’s Bulletin Board is abuzz with excitement for this latest installment in the Feral Warriors books.

ALISA KWITNEY contributed to the newly released A Taste of True Blood: A Fangbanger’s Guide on June 29. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Alisa recently wrote a recap of the True Blood Season 3 premiere. Read all about it here!

NEW-AGAIN BOOKS:

SUSAN ANDERSEN’s Skintight, originally published in 2005, was reissued June 1. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: For one of the most wonderful love letters ever, read Susan’s to her mom. Be prepared to cry.

LORI FOSTER released Unbelievable, in which Harlequin reissues Fantasy and Tantalizing (both originally published in 1998) are packaged together. ANOTHER AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Oh, that BB…

NEW EXCERPTS:

JANE PORTER posted an excerpt from She’s Gone Country, due out August 23.

RED GARNIER posted the excerpt from The Secretary’s Bossman Bargain, Red’s Silhouette Desire debut, due out July 13.

We’ll be back next month with perennial favorite, Eloisa James!

©2010 Waxcreative Design Blog. All Rights Reserved.

NEW BOOKS:

JULIA QUINN released (YAY!) Ten Things I Love About You, a book I had the great fortune to be able to read a few months ago. LOL is literal here. The dinner party scene was my favorite. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Awesome book video. The awesome-est, actually. I went on and on about it in mid-April.

PAMELA PALMER released Amethyst Destiny, the second book in her Jewels of Time series (I love time travel… sigh), under her pseudonym Pamela Montgomerie. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Enter the World of the rugged northeast coast of Scotland where these books are set.

JENNIE LUCAS released Tamed: The Barbarian King in North America. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: I love the pics of Jennie writing that are inset in her bio. Every writer has felt that way at one point.

MAYA BANKS released Linger, a print anthology featuring her novellas Songbird and Stay With Me. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: This whole site is a bonus — and it’s brand new. I feel like a new mama. Please browse.

NEW-AGAIN BOOKS:

LORI FOSTER’s Just a Hint — Clint, originally published in 2004, was reissued May 25.

SAMANTHA JAMES’s Three Times a Bride, featuring her novella Scandal’s Bride, was reissued May 11, bound in a new cover and bundled with new sister novellas! Scandal’s Bride was originally released in the print anthology, Married at Midnight, in 1996.

NEW EXCERPTS:

GERI KROTOW posted an excerpt from Sasha’s Dad, due out June 8.

MAYA RODALE posted an excerpt from A Groom of One’s Own, due out June 29.

PAMELA PALMER posted an excerpt from Rapture Untamed, the fourth book in her Feral Warriors series, also due out June 29.

HOPE TARR posted an excerpt from The Tutor, due out July 1.

JANE PORTER posted a second sneak peek excerpt from She’s Gone Country, due out in late August.

JENNIE LUCAS posted an excerpt from Sensible Housekeeper, Scandalously Pregnant, due out mid-June in the UK and mid-September in North America.

SUSAN ANDERSEN posted a second sneak peek excerpt from Burning Up, due out August 31.

MONICA MCCARTY posted a sneak peek excerpt from The Hawk, due out August 21. The Hawk is Book Two in the Highland Guard series.

ELOISA JAMES posted a sneak peek excerpt from A Kiss at Midnight, due out July 27.

STEPHANIE TYLER posted the first sneak peek excerpt from Lie With Me, due out October 26.

Here’s hoping everyone has a lovely holiday weekend. Thanks to our men and women in uniform, both today and in the days of yore. Celebrate freedom with whatever book you choose — it’s great to live in a country where you can read ANYTHING YOU WANT.

©2010 Waxcreative Design Blog. All Rights Reserved.

NEW BOOKS:

It’s no secret that I love a good medieval and this week GERRI RUSSELL released a book seemingly just for me: Seducing the Knight, the second book in the Brotherhood of Scottish Templars. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: a content-rich page filled with great info to tie real history to Gerri’s sweeping story.

LOIS FAYE DYER, perennial HQ S-SE favorite, released Cinderella and the Playboy this month. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: if you like HQ Silhouette Special Editions, you have four excerpts to lose yourself in right here.

JENNIE LUCAS released Tamed: The Barbarian King in the UK — it will be available May 2010 in North America. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Jennie doesn’t have her own blog, but she guests elsewhere a lot. With posts out there about looking better, feeling better, and losing post-baby weight, Jennie connects with readers both in her books and in the real world issues of self-image and self-esteem.

NEW NOVELLAS :

MARY CASTILLO released Orange County Noir, featuring her novella 2:45 Out of Santa Ana. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: The Chica Lit blog. Always good reading.

RED GARNIER released Men of Danger, featuring her novella Reckless and Yours. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Get further insight into this hot tale — read between the lines.

NEW-AGAIN BOOKS:

DIANE GASTON’s ebook The Unlacing of Miss Leigh was rereleased as a novella in the Undone anthology Pleasurably Undone. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Diane just launched her own blog this past month and the comments are hopping!

NEW EXCERPTS ONLINE:

JULIA QUINN posted an excerpt from Ten Things I Love About You, due out May 25.

LORI FOSTER posted an excerpt from The Gift of Love, a benefit anthology due out June 2010.

GERI KROTOW posted a sneak peek excerpt from Sasha’s Dad, due out June 2010.

RED GARNIER posted a sneak peek excerpt from The Feather, due out June 2010.

MAYA RODALE posted a sneak peek excerpt from A Groom of One’s Own, due out in late June.

©2010 Waxcreative Design Blog. All Rights Reserved.

It is, obviously, the Book video for Julia Quinn’s upcoming book Ten Things I Love About You, created by Brady Hall, Harper Collins’s go-to guy for video. And yes, I know I called Julia’s last video (also Brady’s work) the The Best Book Video Promo Ever (more on that below), and yes (full disclosure) I am Julia’s sister, but I am also a professional. If I didn’t like the video I would simply do my familial due diligence, post it to Facebook and be done with it.

But let me repeat: Best. Book. Video. Of the Year.

Clearly, the Best Video of the Year’s filmmaker has to be one of the best out there, and Brady is. One quick click-thru of his YouTube page and I wonder why anyone else bothers. But even within his superb portfolio, the Julia Quinn promos are giraffe heads above the others.

First of all, the concepting is great, and the content superb. As a designer I know that no final work can be much better than the sum of its parts. If I get crappy content, the best I can do is gild the garbage. And Brady confesses that he has had some awful content to work with in the past. But for Ten Things, the Powers-that-Be-at-Harper-Collins, Brady and Julia rapid-fired ideas at each other and very quickly the concept of the sketches, the countdown, and the Monty Python-esque feel came together to create a fantastic springboard from which Brady could start filmmaking. All that was needed was a tight script, lush illustrations that could visually carry the film, and an actor to do the voice over with just enough over-the-topness to nail Funny without becoming Camp.

Check, check, and almost check.

“A good script is key when a trailer depends on a narration or acting performance or on screen text,” Brady points out, acknowledging that Julia’s scripting is top-notch. Julia tips a hat right back at Brady. “I am not a visual person,” she admits. “With each video Brady came up with a great concept from which I wrote a script. That makes sense, since I’m the writer. What I’m NOT is a filmmaker. I could never have ’seen’ either video in my head. He is very good at what he does. I pretty much just do my bit and let him run with it.”

Next, the illustrations. Brady had been wanting to work with this illustrator for some time, but the project had never been right. This one was perfect. Justine Jones, whom Brady rightly calls “an insanely talented artist” worked up initial sketches for the main characters Annabel and Sebastian, and once the script was locked in and the look of the drawings was approved, Brady turned Justine loose. They didn’t even storyboard. “She whipped up a huge pile of drawings based on the laundry list of things I needed for the piece. As I received new art from her through email, I just worked it into the animation. It came together wonderfully.”

Finally, the voice. Brady could hear it in his head. He knew what he wanted but had no idea where to find someone to do it. So he did it himself for the draft. “I half expected somebody at Harper Collins or Julia to say That accent is horrible!! Whom did you hire?! And then I would have had to actually find an old British guy to do it (which might be tricky in Seattle). But nobody said anything except that they loved it!” Check.

“Every book video promo is different,” Brady says, “and that’s why I like doing it so much. You never know what you’re going to do next, and you definitely don’t know how much the publisher or author will want to meddle. Sometimes that works in favor of the finished product, and sometimes it doesn’t. There have definitely been a few projects where I have asked the publisher So basically we just have to do what this author wants and make a horrible book video promo and that’s that? and they say Yep, our hands our tied! So it’s always nice working with somebody like Julia who gets it and contributes what she knows she can improve and lets everybody else do what they know how to do.”

What I, Emily, know how to do is to call out excellent design when I see it (even when it makes me jealous that I didn’t think of it myself). And last spring I confidently and exuberantly dubbed the book video promo for Julia’s What Happens in London to be The Best Book Video Promo Ever.

I was not wrong, and The Huffington Post went on to pick up the video (via this blog, thankyouverymuch), with author/blogger David Colbert (no relation, I don’t think) saying this about book video promos:

…[book] videos are working because they’re less faithful to the books. Authors, myself included, tend to use promotion to tell readers the reasons they should buy our books, instead of just making customers desire them… Fidelity to three hundred pages of prose is the last thing you want in a thirty-second spot.

True, true, and the video for Quinn’s London was the best out there until the day before yesterday, when this new bit of spectacular promo was posted. Bravo Brady, Justine, Pam Spengler-Jaffee at Harper Collins, and of course, Julia.

I am already wondering about next year’s video.

©2010 Waxcreative Design Blog. All Rights Reserved.

BIG NEWS:

RITA® finalists? We’ve got five. Big Wax congrats to Julia Quinn, Jane Porter, Jennie Lucas, Joy Nash, and Laura Lee Guhrke. Each author has a link at the top of her home page news leading to the book that might bring her a RITA. Enjoy!

NEW BOOKS THIS PAST MONTH:

JENESI ASH released Naughty Bits 2: An Anthology of Short Erotic Fiction featuring her e-published story, “Favor Me.” AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: The excerpt starts with “Sex is not an amateur sport.” Honestly, do you need any other enticement to link over?

MICHAEL SPRADLIN released Baseball From A to Z. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Between the stunning illustrations and finding out More About The Book, you’re batting 1000.

CJ CARMICHAEL released Receptionist Under Cover, the third book in her Fox & Fisher Detective Agency trilogy. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: CJ’s got the scoop on a fun set of books rereleasing in June. Get the details.

LORI FOSTER released Tempted, a reissue of Little Miss Innocent? (1999) and Annie Get Your Guy & Messing Around with Max (2000) packaged together. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Love Lori? You’re loving her Café Press store, huh? There’s always an item featured on her home page.

DIANE GASTON released Gallant Officer, Forbidden Lady in the United Kingdom — it has been out in North America since last December. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Brand new blog. Already with a lot of comments.

-=-=-=-

NEW EXCERPTS:

LORI FOSTER posted three excerpts from Tempted, a reissue that was released at the end of the month.

HOPE TARR posted a sneak peek excerpt from The Tutor, due out July 2010.

PAMELA PALMER posted a sneak peek from Rapture Untamed, the fourth book in her Feral Warriors series, due out July 2010. She also posted an excerpt from Amethyst Destiny, the second book in her Jewels of Time series due out May 2010, which she writes under her pseudonym Pamela Montgomerie.

JENNIE LUCAS posted an excerpt from Tamed: The Barbarian King, due out April 2010 in the UK and May 2010 in North America.

MARY CASTILLO posted an excerpt from Orange County Noir, featuring her novella “2:45 Out of Santa Ana,” due out April 2010.

ELOISA JAMES posted an excerpt from A Kiss at Midnight, due out August 2010.

SUSAN ANDERSEN posted a sneak peek from Burning Up, due out September 2010.

JANE PORTER posted a sneak peek excerpt from She’s Gone Country, due out in late August.

-=-=-=-

Thanks for checking in!

©2010 Waxcreative Design Blog. All Rights Reserved.

NEW BOOKS:

In early February perennial powerhouse LORI FOSTER released Back in Black, which promptly hit the NYT list (yay!). AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Grab a link to a free online read from Lori’s home page. There are more links like this on her site – go explore!

Mid-month: MICHAEL SPRADLIN released his beautiful picture book Off Like The Wind! The First Ride of the Pony Express. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Michael is in the sixth inning of his nine-inning contest through his blog. A quick comment could win you an awesome book!

CJ CARMICHAEL released The P.I. Contest, the second book in her Fox & Fisher Detective Agency trilogy. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Catch the fun story behind the book’s dedication on CJ’s blog.

Late-February: SOPHIA NASH released Secrets of a Scandalous Bride, Book IV (final book) in the Widows Club series. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: I have said it before, but nothing has changed to lessen its impact — Sophia’s Lexicon of Slang is a must browse.

Re-release bonus: DIANE GASTON’s A Reputable Rake was rereleased in the UK’s Regency High Society Affairs Vol. 13. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Grab a link for free shipping from Diane’s home page.

NEW EXCERPTS:

CJ CARMICHAEL posted an excerpt from Receptionist Under Cover, due out in mid-March.

LOIS FAYE DYER posted an excerpt from Cinderella and the Playboy, due out in early April.

RED GARNIER posted an excerpt from Men of Danger, featuring Red’s novella Reckless. Men of Danger is due out in late-April.

GERRI RUSSELL posted a sneak peek excerpt from Seducing The Knight, also due out in late April.

More next month. Stay tuned!

©2010 Waxcreative Design Blog. All Rights Reserved.

I regularly suggest to authors that they write a little something on their website for readers to read after reading the books. Something to help readers continue in the warm glow of the wonderful story they have just read. Some extra content to help solidify the brand experience. This is not a sales strategy, this is author-reader relationship building. And there are many, many ways to do this. Here are a few:

Kathryn Caskie gives interesting insight into aspects of her book in her Inside the Story feature. Elizabeth Boyle offers incredible Footnotes complete with character lists and more. Jennie Lucas has a wonderful online after-the-story additional epilogue feature for some of her books (Beware: this one is s spoiler). Eloisa James deliciously provides Extra Chapters for each of her Desperate Duchesses series (login required). Julia Quinn has a whole set of Second Epilogues for her Bridgerton series (purchase required, but for those not wishing to purchase the $1.99 e-book, there is a plethora of other info on the series.) More on series: Joy Nash provides a page full of info about one of her series. Stephanie Tyler has extensive extras, and Pamela Palmer has several series, all with extra info. It’s a readers’ bonanza. (And there are many more examples… Just tool through our portfolio.)

All this, because after a reader spends so much time with your characters, you will have done your job if your reader is wistful, and if you’re lucky, said reader might welcome a chance to revisit them and be reminded about how much they enjoyed spending time in the world you created. That reminder is crucial to the emotioanl branding bonding process.

Yes, a little extra content goes all this way.

©2010 Waxcreative Design Blog. All Rights Reserved.

NEW BOOKS:

STEPHANIE TYLER landed on bookshelves twice this month: Too Hot to Hold, the second book in the Hard to Hold trilogy rang in the New Year, and  Hold on Tight, the third book hit stores earlier this week. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: There is so much extra on this site. Two months ago I mentioned the maps, soundtracks, and character lists to enhance the reading experience. This month I will simply say: meet Gus.

PAMELA PALMER anthology Bitten by Cupid (Hearts Untamed is the title of Pam’s novella and is part of the Feral Warriors set) released earlier this month and promptly hit #14 on the New York Times bestseller list! AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: Find out what hidden pockets in books had to do with the writing of this book. After that there is always the BB.

CJ CARMICHAEL starts a three-month, three-book series this month with Perfect Partners?, the first book in The Fox & Fisher Detective Agency trilogy. AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: ten days left on a two-author contest. Too fun.

JENNIE LUCAS can now be bought since Bought: The Greek’s Baby is newly in stores. (Sorry, I couldn’t help it). AUTHOR WEBSITE BONUS: get more to the story.

NEW EXCERPTS and SNEAK PEEKS:

CJ CARMICHAEL posted an excerpt from The P.I. Contest, due in stores February 8.

MICHAEL SPRADLIN posted an excerpt from Baseball From A to Z, due in stores March 23.

©2010 Waxcreative Design Blog. All Rights Reserved.