Nadia Lee's Blog, page 23

The Boy Is Really a Terminator

The Boy cannot be bargained with. He cannot be reasoned with. And he absolutely will not stop crying, ever, until his mommy holds him and comforts him to his full satisfaction.

(Thankfully he doesn't cry all the time. And there's a special place in hell for the jerks who shot off fireworks outside at four o'clock in the afternoon!)

© 2008 - 2011 Nadia Lee. All Rights Reserved. Visit nadialee.net for more great content.

Sign up for Nadia's newsletter for occasional news bites, free chapters, advance looks at works in progress and other cool stuff.

Carnal Secrets (Contemporary Romance) Buy eBook: All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

Destiny Entwined (Erotic Romance) Buy eBook: All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Diesel eBook Store :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

A Happily Ever After of Her Own (Paranormal Romance) All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Diesel eBook Store :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

How to Format Your Manuscript for Kindle and Nook: 3rd Edition Buy eBook: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Smashwords

This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator or via the BlogBurst network, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact us so we can take legal action immediately.

No related posts.

View more on Nadia Lee's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on July 18, 2011 05:52

Giveaway: CONFESSIONS OF AN IMPROPER BRIDE by Jennifer Haymore (Open Worldwide)

I was going to announce the details on July 8th, but it just wasn't meant to be. Sorry about that.

So here are the rules and information:

Why read Confessions of an Improper Bride?

Because Jennifer Haymore is an awesome writer. And don't the blurb and excerpt intrigue you?

Serena Donovan left London six years ago, her heart broken and her reputation ruined by devilishly handsome Jonathan Dane. Now, with her family's future in peril, she reluctantly agrees to return to England and assume her late twin's identity. The price? Marry a man she doesn't love and spend the rest of her days living a lie.

Jonathan Dane, Earl of Stratford, has become an incorrigible rake, drinking, gambling-and trying to forget Serena Donovan. Yet the moment he's introduced to the prim and proper "Meg", he recognizes the sensual young woman who captured his heart. Haunted by his past mistakes, he refuses to lose Serena again. But convincing her to trust him is no easy task. Claiming his lost love means exposing the truth and destroying the life Serena has sacrificed everything to rebuild. With the future of all the Donovans at stake, and their undying passion capable of triggering yet another scandal, how much will Jonathan and Serena risk for a chance at true love?

Excerpt (from Jennifer Haymore's website)

"There you are, Miss Donovan."

It was Langley's voice. With a sigh, Serena dropped her hand and turned. There he was, standing not an arm's length away, with Jonathan Dane at his side.

Jonathan's wide, sensuous mouth hadn't changed in shape, but its turn seemed more cynical, more inclined to smirk rather than display the genuine, joyful smiles she remembered. His lips were parted, and she could see the hint of teeth behind them.

She remembered those lips. How often she'd kissed them, had run her tongue over those teeth.

"Good evening." Serena's voice emerged smooth and deep and contained no tremor. It reminded her of her voice when she was with Jonathan before, when she was aroused and could only think she wanted more, she wanted him to take her to the pinnacle.

He had taken her to those heights, not only physically, but emotionally as well, and she had counted on it never to end. But then it had ended with an abruptness that had shattered her.

He gazed at her as if startled, a slight frown forming between his brows. "Serena?"

The cheerful roar of the ballroom faded to nothing behind the din of her shock. She glanced at Langley to see him blanch. Everyone standing nearby had turned to gape at them.

She stared up at Jonathan, unable to speak, to breathe.

He stared back at her, his eyes dilated in the shadows until they looked black. She remembered them, though. They were midnight blue, like the deepest ocean on a sunny day. They always appeared quite dark whenever there wasn't enough light to illuminate their true color. In broad daylight, his eyes were exotic, their dark cobalt sparks contrasting with the gold streaks in his hair and the broad slashes of his eyebrows. Such a handsome man.

Langley gave an awkward laugh and clapped Jonathan on the shoulder. "No, this is Meg, man. Meg Donovan, my betrothed."

Jonathan shook his head, as if flinging away a fog that had descended over him. He blinked hard, and seeming to come to his senses, he bowed. "Of course," he murmured. "Of course. Forgive me. Miss Donovan, it is a pleasure to see you again."

The low timbre of his voice made something within Serena clench. She remembered that voice, had dreamed about it more times than she could count. That voice had whispered in her ear, caressed the most private parts of her body, told her wicked things she was certain she'd never hear again. The words he had uttered to her had made her first fall madly in love and later tremble in ecstasy.

It had nearly killed her when she learned all those words had been lies.

Was he still a liar?

Such characteristics were usually ingrained in a person by the time he reached adulthood. If a man was a liar at twenty-two, he probably was at twenty-eight as well.

Serena couldn't answer him. She simply stared. Langley gave her an apologetic look, as if asking for forgiveness that he hadn't warned her about the arrival of the man who had defiled her sister. Serena sucked in a steadying breath. Suddenly, she felt perilously close to bursting into tears.

Langley came to her rescue. "Were you going to take some air?"

She nodded dumbly.

He gave her a gentle smile. "May I accompany you?"

His kind words made her find her voice, and she waved her hand. "No, no, please. It looked like you two were headed toward the punch bowl." She gave them a game smile. "I certainly wouldn't want to deprive two gentlemen of their punch."

Langley returned her smile and inclined his head. "But I won't have you outside alone." He clasped Jonathan's shoulder. "If you'll excuse--"

Just then, an arm slipped through hers. Lady Montgomery squeezed her wrist. "Oh, do come onto the terrace with me, Miss Donovan. I was just thinking about taking some air myself."

Serena swallowed hard, then smiled at her savior. "Thank you. I'd love to join you outside."

She gave a faltering, watery smile to Langley, silently thanking him for his thoughtfulness. The two men bowed, Langley looking understanding and Jonathan looking as bewildered as if he'd just been awakened from a year-long sleep. They turned toward the punch bowl, Langley holding on to Jonathan's shoulder, guiding him away and across the room.

Keeping her arm tightly entwined about Serena's, Lady Montgomery flung open the door and led her toward freedom and the outside.

Why are you giving away a copy?

Because I think more people should read Jennifer's awesome historical romance novels. Also Jennifer is one of the sweetest people I know, and she was instrumental in helping me publish Carnal Secrets. Without her, the story would still be languishing on my hard drive.

Note: I'm not getting paid to do this or receiving any other form of compensation. I just like Jennifer.

So how do I earn entries?

Super easy.

Two entries if you subscribe to my newsletter. (If you've already subscribed, you don't have to do anything to get two entries automatically.)
Tweet why you want to read Jennifer Haymore novels and/or Confessions of an Improper Bride . One entry per tweet per day. Use #JenHaymore so I can track you!
Tweet about this giveaway. (You get only one entry for this, not one entry per day for tweeting over and over again.) Please use #JenHaymore so I can track you.

The giveaway ends on July 24th (midnight, US Eastern Time). The winner will be announced on my blog on July 25th and will be contacted via Twitter (for Twitter entries) or email (for newsletter subscriber entries). The winner has until midnight US Eastern Time July 31 to contact me with a mailing address.

The book will be shipped by BookDepository regardless of your location. (Just to be clear, you're getting an unautographed final book, not an ARC or early copy.) If I can, I'll gift an e-copy if you prefer an ebook and have a US Kindle account.

Good luck!

© 2008 - 2011 Nadia Lee. All Rights Reserved. Visit nadialee.net for more great content.

Sign up for Nadia's newsletter for occasional news bites, free chapters, advance looks at works in progress and other cool stuff.

Carnal Secrets (Contemporary Romance) Buy eBook: All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

Destiny Entwined (Erotic Romance) Buy eBook: All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Diesel eBook Store :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

A Happily Ever After of Her Own (Paranormal Romance) All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Diesel eBook Store :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

How to Format Your Manuscript for Kindle and Nook: 3rd Edition Buy eBook: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Smashwords

This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator or via the BlogBurst network, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact us so we can take legal action immediately.

View more on Nadia Lee's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on July 10, 2011 22:56

The Second Half of 2011 Is Here!

I can't believe it's already July. It feels like January was just a day or two ago.

The first half of 2011 was pretty busy but productive. In January, I walked away from an offer on Carnal Secrets. I gave away Destiny Entwined to my newsletter subscribers on Valentine's Day and published it the same day to anybody who wants to read it but aren't subscribed to my newsletter. Then I self-published Carnal Secrets later in February.

In March, I received an offer from Carina for The Last Slayer. This time, I didn't walk.

In case you missed it, the Boy was born on June 18. You can read more about it and see his pictures here.

So what are my plans for the month?

Wrap up edits for The Last Slayer
Finish outlining the sequel (yes, there's probably going to be a sequel)
Announce the giveaway details for Confessions of an Improper Bride by Jennifer Haymore by July 8th

I'm hoping that with some discipline and pre-planning, I can accomplish them all.

© 2008 - 2011 Nadia Lee. All Rights Reserved. Visit nadialee.net for more great content.

Sign up for Nadia's newsletter for occasional news bites, free chapters, advance looks at works in progress and other cool stuff.

Carnal Secrets (Contemporary Romance) Buy eBook: All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

Destiny Entwined (Erotic Romance) Buy eBook: All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Diesel eBook Store :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

A Happily Ever After of Her Own (Paranormal Romance) All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Diesel eBook Store :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

How to Format Your Manuscript for Kindle and Nook: 3rd Edition Buy eBook: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Smashwords

This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator or via the BlogBurst network, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact us so we can take legal action immediately.

View more on Nadia Lee's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on July 05, 2011 00:03

The Boy: Details & Pictures

I've been away for about five days, plus a couple more to recuperate and to get used to having a new baby in the house. Many thanks to everyone who's asked about my situation on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Here's the story:

On Friday, June 17, I had a regularly scheduled doctor's appointment. (This doctor will be referred to as Dr. H, for high-risk pregnancy.) He asked me about my condition, did the internal exam, etc. I told him I'd been having trouble sleeping and eating for several days. My midwife said she was concerned about the swelling in my legs and feet, as well as my weight gain (13 kg or so; about 28 lbs total since Wk 1). Japanese medical professionals prefer that expectant mothers not gain more than 10 kg (22 lbs)...of course, Japanese women are generally pretty small. (My best friend here, a woman with two kids, weighs literally less than 100lbs.)

We made an appointment to induce on Monday at 1:30 p.m. because Dr. M (ultrasound specialist) estimated the Boy's weight to be around 3.6 kg (7.9 lbs), and Dr. H didn't want to wait beyond Week 41.

So I came home and told Hero Material. We packed the additional stuff we thought we might need.

A little after 7:30 p.m. I started to bleed and get contractions, but they weren't too severe. I finished a load of laundry. Around 2:00 a.m. contractions started to get worse, but I decided to try to get some sleep. At around 5:00 a.m. I woke Hero Material up and said, "Call the hospital."

The hospital told us to come ASAP. So we took a cab and arrived at the ER entrance 10 minutes later. (After-hours admissions are done through the ER.)

A midwife came out and took us to the maternity floor. She weighed me, checked for dilation and said I was halfway there. So we were told to wait in a small private room.

After about two hours, things got pretty bad because my back pain became excruciating. I have a herniated disk, and basically what my therapist told me came true: every time I had a contraction, the back muscles would spasm and pinch the nerve, sending an absolutely stunning pain all the way from midback to the tip of my toes. Multiple nurses and midwives came by, and they thought I was "just" feeling severe uterus contractions. *sigh* I was missing Dr. H at this point because he knew all about my disk hernia, etc. but he wasn't on call that day.

I asked for an epidural six times or so, but was denied because for some weird reason, Japanese medical people think that toughing it out is the best. Also they think that an epidural can make the newborn sluggish, and they hate that because they want to see a "genki" (healthy and energetic) baby and run a bunch of tests to rule out any problems.

By the time they moved me to the delivery room, I was feeling faint from pain and exhaustion. Weirdly enough, I delivered the placenta first, though I had no idea it wasn't the baby when I was pushing. Imagine my disappointment. My water still hadn't broken, and several more medical people came in. (Later Hero Material told me three doctors plus five nurses were in the room.) I don't even remember what happened after I delivered the placenta because I kept fading in and out. The only consistent thing I can recall is that I was holding onto Hero Material's hand the entire time. [By "holding on", Nadia really means "crushing to a fine, exquisitely agonizing paste of bone shards and muscle pulp." -- HM]

When the delivery doctor (Dr. D) realized that I wasn't pushing very well anymore, and the baby was becoming distressed, he decided to perform an episiotomy and help push the baby out. Once the incision was made, the baby came out pretty fast. I saw a midwife catch him, then kinda faded out some because of the pain and exhaustion. (Hero Material tells me I bled massively afterward.)

A nurse undid my gown and bra and placed the Boy in my arms to establish skin-to-skin contact. He looked so squished, but he wasn't crying anymore. The nurse said he weighed 3.9 kg (8.6 lbs).

The Boy

I wanted to stay with the Boy, but I couldn't, not on the first day, because I was too out of it. I fainted again on our way to my room, and later I learned that Hero Material caught me and carried me to the hospital bed. I told Hero Material to go home and get some rest (he had to work early the next morning) and call / email our family and a handful of close friends and business contacts, etc.

Afterward, nurses and midwives came by every three hours to check up on me and take my temperature, blood pressure, etc. They also made sure I was taking all my meds on time and made a note of how much I was eating. (BTW -- this medicine and eating monitoring continued until I was discharged.)

The second day was better, although I still couldn't stand or walk around without feeling dizzy. A couple of friends came by, and I was allowed to keep the Boy in the room.

This is the Boy looking at Hero Material. The Boy is remarkably like his father -- long limbs, narrow feet, long fingers and the forehead wrinkles he makes when he's thinking about something. Of course, you can see that the Asian influence is really strong, too.

The Boy Looking at Hero Material

And the Boy sleeping.

The Boy Sleeping

On the second day, nurses and midwives still came by every 3 hours, and they taught me and Hero Material how to change diapers. A midwife gave me a notebook and showed me how to keep track of the Boy's soiled diapers and feeding times for each day. At around midnight, I became too exhausted, and the night shift nurse fed the Boy and changed his diapers for me. Ah, I love nurses!

I felt remarkably better on the third day. A nurse showed us how to bathe the Boy. We just watched the first time, and she said we could try it the next day. Every time they bathe a baby, the hospital staff records the latest weight. Per her chart, the Boy's been gaining like 100-120 g per day (3.5-4.2 oz).

Afterward, we ate a nice celebratory lunch provided by the hospital.

celebratory lunch - rice, sauce & tea

celebratory lunch - rice (fancy kind)

celebratory lunch - boxed set

celebratory lunch - boxed set revealed

celebratory lunch - soup and dessert

Everything was most excellently yum. Not that the regular food was bad (it was surprisingly good), but it was nice to eat something a little fancy with Hero Material. I felt quite cheery afterwards.

A pediatrician came by to tell me the Boy needed some kind of light therapy because there was something wrong with his skin pigmentation. The Boy was looking a bit too yellow, actually, and the doctor thought something ought to be done about it before we were sent home. So I said, "Sure, go ahead." (I wasn't going to argue with a doctor, esp. over something he said was necessary and that even Hero Material and I had noticed on our own.)

So this is the Boy in the light therapy chamber. Doesn't he look like he's ready for Venice beach?

The Boy - Light Therapy

On the fourth day, Dr. D paged me to the examination room. He said everything looked good, and I was ready to go home the next day. I was super-relieved.

Later, Hero Material bathed the Boy while the nurse and I watched. The Boy looked so happy.

On the fifth day, the Boy was ready to come home! Look at his cute onesie!

The Boy - Ready to Go Home

And here he's Mommy's New Man!

The Boy - Mommy's New Man

P.S. Despite my midwife's concern over my weight gain, I lost most of it during labor. I'm now within 10 lbs (less than 5 kg) of my pre-pregnancy weight. Heh.

© 2008 - 2011 Nadia Lee. All Rights Reserved. Visit nadialee.net for more great content.

Sign up for Nadia's newsletter for occasional news bites, free chapters, advance looks at works in progress and other cool stuff.

Carnal Secrets (Contemporary Romance) Buy eBook: All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

Destiny Entwined (Erotic Romance) Buy eBook: All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Diesel eBook Store :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

A Happily Ever After of Her Own (Paranormal Romance) All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Diesel eBook Store :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

How to Format Your Manuscript for Kindle and Nook: 3rd Edition Buy eBook: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Smashwords

This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator or via the BlogBurst network, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact us so we can take legal action immediately.

Free Book Week at Carina Press!

Every weekday, all week, Carina is offering a spectacular title for free download. And when they say free, they mean ACTUALLY free. Not "sorta free", or "free with a $50 purchase" free, but actually, totally, no strings attached FREE! So, get thee to Carina Press to download a free book every day! Here are the books being offered, and the links and promo codes for your free download. Just type in the code when you check out.

Monday: The Debutante's Dilemma by Elyse Mady

Promo code: DEBUTANTEFREE

Tuesday: Demon's Fall by Karalynn Lee

Promo code: DEMONFREE

Wednesday: The Twisted Tale of Stormy Gale by Christine Bell

Promo code: TWISTEDFREE

Thursday: Blue Galaxy by Diane Dooley

Promo code: GALAXYFREE

Friday: Friendly Fire by Megan Hart

Promo code: FRIENDLYFREE

Enjoy!

© 2008 - 2011 Nadia Lee. All Rights Reserved. Visit nadialee.net for more great content.

Sign up for Nadia's newsletter for occasional news bites, free chapters, advance looks at works in progress and other cool stuff.

Carnal Secrets (Contemporary Romance) Buy eBook: All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

Destiny Entwined (Erotic Romance) Buy eBook: All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Diesel eBook Store :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

A Happily Ever After of Her Own (Paranormal Romance) All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Diesel eBook Store :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

How to Format Your Manuscript for Kindle and Nook: 3rd Edition Buy eBook: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Smashwords

This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator or via the BlogBurst network, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact us so we can take legal action immediately.

View more on Nadia Lee's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on June 19, 2011 08:01

Ah…The Boy

Not Coming Out

Today is my official due date, but it's already 8:00 p.m. and the Boy shows no sign of coming out.

This comes after the preterm labor scare / talk on March 8, which totally freaked me out. The doctor prescribed some medicine to prevent contractions, put me on a modified bed rest until I hit at least Week 32, and told me to relax and take it easy for the baby's sake. I couldn't even ride my bike anymore (which I liked doing from time to time to go grocery shopping or meet friends, etc.). He said if things looked worse, I'd have to be hospitalized. That totally wasn't what I wanted, so I did as he asked.

Now that I've hit the full forty weeks, the irony of the situation isn't lost on me. Hero Material told me it's because I followed the doctor's instructions well, so I shouldn't be too unhappy. Sweetly enough, he regularly rubs my back. (The PT sessions I get just aren't enough.) He even offered to rub my back last night at around 5 a.m. because I kept turning to find a comfortable position.

I can totally sympathize with women who told me they were more than ready to perform C-sections on themselves. I actually suggested that, and Hero Material said, "Umm...a kitchen knife may not be the best idea...Here, let me rub your back, how about that?"

I'm seeing my doctor tomorrow morning. Hopefully he'll tell me something good...like, "Hey, the Boy's ready to come out now!"

© 2008 - 2011 Nadia Lee. All Rights Reserved. Visit nadialee.net for more great content.

Sign up for Nadia's newsletter for occasional news bites, free chapters, advance looks at works in progress and other cool stuff.

Carnal Secrets (Contemporary Romance) Buy eBook: All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

Destiny Entwined (Erotic Romance) Buy eBook: All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Diesel eBook Store :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

A Happily Ever After of Her Own (Paranormal Romance) All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Diesel eBook Store :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

How to Format Your Manuscript for Kindle and Nook: 3rd Edition Buy eBook: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Smashwords

This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator or via the BlogBurst network, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact us so we can take legal action immediately.

No related posts.

View more on Nadia Lee's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on June 13, 2011 04:00

Carina Press 1st Anniversary!

Today I have Angela James, the Executive Editor from Carina Press, to share her experience at Carina and what she's learned.

In celebration of our one year anniversary, I asked as many of our Harlequin team members and Carina Press freelance editors as possible to write a short blog post, talking about what the past year or so has been like for them, working on Carina Press. I deliberately didn't provide any direction other than that, because I wanted to see what people came up with, in the spirit of Carina's 1st anniversary. I was so pleased when I saw what they'd all come up with, and had to say (and some of these posts made me just a little teary)! I hope you enjoy the post, and look for your opportunity to win a Carina Press book at the bottom of this post. ~Angela James

I wasn't going to do a post on an author blog, because I wrote the anniversary post for the Carina Press blog. But when I went to write that post, I discovered there was a LOT to say and it made the post kind of long to include all of this. So thanks to Nadia, who kindly agreed to host me, I get the privilege of having two blog posts today!

So what did I learn this year? Ha! That I have a lot to learn. I swear, some days I feel like I know absolutely nothing about the industry, authors or how publishing works. I feel just as green as I did on the very first day I started editing almost a decade ago.

I learned that I hate packing for trips as much today as I did a year ago, and I've not gotten any better at packing "light". People who can travel with one teeny, tiny, half-size carry-on are mutants. I'm convinced.

I've learned patience. I'm an impatient person by nature. If I have an idea, or a concept, or a thought flitting through my head, I want to jump on it and do it now. That's not quite as easy at a larger corporation like Harlequin. We're not quite so nimble as some of the smaller folks. Oh, we get things done and make things happen, just not quite as quickly as my impatient nature liked. So I've learned patience (well, having a six-year-old daughter has helped with that too)

I've learned that while I'm a good editor, and I miss editing, I'm also a pretty darn good administrator, boss, presenter and task-master. I knew I had what it takes to build an imprint, but I really feel like I've proven it to myself again.

And holy cow, I've been reminded how important a good team is. From the Carina Press acquisitions team, to the freelance editors, I'm surrounded by talented, hard-working, dedicated people. I have been so very fortunate in my co-workers and freelancers, and some of them have become very good friends who listen to my phone and email rants without complaining. Without the talent of this group, Carina Press would not exist today. I get a lot of the glory because I'm out in front, but I've worked to try and make sure you all see who's behind the scenes, actually making it happen. Thanks to all of them, and the wonderful, wonderful authors who've trusted us with their books, today we have Carina Press!

Speaking of the authors, I've learned that they can come together to be enthusiastic and supportive of each other, and their publisher, in a pretty awesome way. I wish each of you could see the brainstorming and goodwill that occurs on the Carina author loop. It's inspiring!

As I mention in the main Carina Press blog, I've discovered I love working for Harlequin. It's been a year and a half, and I feel so lucky to be working there every day. I'm fortunate to have not just one, but several wonderful bosses. Malle Vallik has been an incredible boss and mentor, and I look forward to the times we're together, when we can share a meal and a glass of wine, and talk not just about work, but about life. Loriana Sacilotto has been gracious and welcoming, making me feel as though Carina is just as important in its place in Harlequin editorial as any other imprint, and not just listening to my opinion on digital publishing, but also seeking it out. Last, Brent Lewis and Donna Hayes, who provided snippets for our Carina blog post today, have gone out of their way to let me know how much they value my skills.

But most of all, I've been reminded all over again how much I love digital publishing, and you know, learned to feel a little justified in all that preaching about the "digital dark side" that I've been doing for years.

Today's not just a celebration of all we've accomplished in the past year, but also a celebration of digital publishing in general, because without all of the readers, retailers, authors, and other industry people who've embraced digital publishing, I wouldn't be where I am today. So here's to all of you, thank you!

To celebrate Carina's one year anniversary of publishing books, we're giving away some prizes. Today, on each of the nineteen blogs our team members are featured on, we're giving away a download of a Carina Press book to one random winner (that's nineteen total winners!) All you need to do to be entered to win is comment on this post. You can enter to win on all nineteen posts. In addition, on the Carina Press blog, we're giving away a grand prize of a Kobo ereader and 12 Carina Press books of the winner's choice. Visit the Carina Press blog to enter to win, and to see links to all 19 of today's blog posts.

And a sincere thank you from all of us, to our readers and authors, for making Carina Press's first year a success!

© 2008 - 2011 Nadia Lee. All Rights Reserved. Visit nadialee.net for more great content.

Sign up for Nadia's newsletter for occasional news bites, free chapters, advance looks at works in progress and other cool stuff.

Carnal Secrets (Contemporary Romance) Buy eBook: All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

Destiny Entwined (Erotic Romance) Buy eBook: All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Diesel eBook Store :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

A Happily Ever After of Her Own (Paranormal Romance) All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Diesel eBook Store :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

How to Format Your Manuscript for Kindle and Nook: 3rd Edition Buy eBook: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Smashwords

This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator or via the BlogBurst network, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact us so we can take legal action immediately.

No related posts.

View more on Nadia Lee's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on June 07, 2011 06:00

Why I Love Book Bloggers and Reviewers

When I saw this tweet from one of the sweetest book bloggers and reviewers I know, I was incredibly sad.

I don't know exactly what made her say it, but I wanted to let her and others who feel this way know that their dedication and love of reading and written words keep us writers going.

For me, writing a story is a solitary affair that can last months. Sometimes it's fabulous, sometimes it's hard. Then there's the post-publication period, when I wonder if anybody's reading my work.

I told someone -- I think it was Pearl from Pearl's World of Romance -- that publishing a book is like an audition. I'm in a dark auditorium, and I stand on the stage completely alone. I cannot see my audience at all (assuming I have one). A bright spotlight glares down on me. I'm performing, doing my best, to engage this audience I cannot see, hoping that something -- anything -- I'm doing hooks them. Makes them want to stay till the very end.

Then the reviews slowly start to trickle in. Book bloggers and Goodreads members start talking, and I know that at least I wasn't alone in that auditorium. Nobody likes a bad review, but even a bad review is better than being ignored, and can be used to make my next book better. And if I get flattering reviews, I savor them and keep them, so that when going gets really tough, or when I feel like quitting, I can go back and read those reviews and know that it's worth it for me to grit my teeth and chug along.

Perhaps it's selfish of me to want people like Lea to continue when they feel so down and sad about book blogging and reviews. I cannot ask that they continue if they derive no joy from their labor of love; writing thoughtful reviews is hard work. But I want them to know that I love them deeply and that they're appreciated.

© 2008 - 2011 Nadia Lee. All Rights Reserved. Visit nadialee.net for more great content.

Sign up for Nadia's newsletter for occasional news bites, free chapters, advance looks at works in progress and other cool stuff.

Carnal Secrets (Contemporary Romance) Buy eBook: All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

Destiny Entwined (Erotic Romance) Buy eBook: All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Diesel eBook Store :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

A Happily Ever After of Her Own (Paranormal Romance) All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Diesel eBook Store :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

How to Format Your Manuscript for Kindle and Nook: 3rd Edition Buy eBook: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Smashwords

This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator or via the BlogBurst network, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact us so we can take legal action immediately.

No related posts.

View more on Nadia Lee's website »

1 like · Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on June 02, 2011 02:33

June! June!

May was another fabulous month. My younger brother finally proposed to his sweetheart of 6+ years. (She said yes. ) And Carnal Secrets received the loveliest dual review from Stella and Lea at Book Lovers Inc. There's also an author interview plus a giveaway for Carnal Secrets on Book Lovers Inc, open to international readers, so if you'd like, enter before June 11th!

I'm going to be much more MIA during June. The Boy is due June 13...though he can come out any time between now until June 21-ish. I thought I was ready, but it looks like I still have so many things to do (mostly appointments and last minute shopping for baby things, etc.) before the Boy gets here. Soooooo busy!

A few people on Twitter and Facebook asked me to keep them updated on the labor, etc. I'll see what I can do. Maybe Hero Material can hijack my Twitter account briefly? Hmmm. (Unfortunately, he doesn't really get social media...)

Later this year, I'll start doing some giveaways to thank and support fellow writers who have been super nice and helpful to me. So what books are up for grabs?

Confessions of an Improper Bride by Jennifer Haymore

July: a copy of Confessions of an Improper Bride by Jennifer Haymore. It's a fabulous historical romance, and Jennifer was instrumental in helping me publish Carnal Secrets. Without her, the story would still be languishing on my hard drive.

October: a copy of The Shadow Reader by Sandy Williams, an exciting urban fantasy debut by a fellow Magic and Mayhem Writers member.

November: a copy of Shaedes of Gray by Amanda Bonilla, another super urban fantasy debut by a Magic and Mayhem Writers member.

All giveaways are open to international readers, and books will be shipped by BookDepository regardless of your location. (Just to be clear, you're getting an unautographed final book, not an ARC or early copy.) If I can, I'll try to give ebooks to those who prefer e-copies, but I can't guarantee anything because it depends on geo res, DRM, your ereader, etc.

If you want to enter early, just subscribe to my newsletter. All confirmed subscribers get two entries automatically. (And I'll never share your information with anybody else, and you can unsubscribe any time.)

Later, I'll announce other ways to earn extra entries, such as tweets with special hashtags and so on.

P.S. I'm going to give away several copies of my own new urban fantasy, The Last Slayer, as well, either in late September or early October. And again, you get two automatic entries just for subscribing to my newsletter.

© 2008 - 2011 Nadia Lee. All Rights Reserved. Visit nadialee.net for more great content.

Sign up for Nadia's newsletter for occasional news bites, free chapters, advance looks at works in progress and other cool stuff.

Carnal Secrets (Contemporary Romance) Buy eBook: All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

Destiny Entwined (Erotic Romance) Buy eBook: All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Diesel eBook Store :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

A Happily Ever After of Her Own (Paranormal Romance) All Romance EBooks :: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Diesel eBook Store :: Smashwords :: Sony eBook Store

How to Format Your Manuscript for Kindle and Nook: 3rd Edition Buy eBook: Amazon Kindle US :: Amazon Kindle DE :: Amazon Kindle UK :: B&N Nook :: Smashwords

This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator or via the BlogBurst network, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact us so we can take legal action immediately.

View more on Nadia Lee's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on May 31, 2011 08:01

50% Memorial Day Weekend Rebate at All Romance eBooks

All Romance eBooks is offering a 50% Rebate on all purchase made via Paypal or credit card between 12:01 am on May 28 and 11:59 pm on May 30 (US/Central).

If you haven't bought a copy of Carnal Secrets, Destiny Entwined or A Happily Ever After of Her Own yet, you can take advantage of this promotion by clicking the links below: