Diane Whiteside | Bond of Fire, or A French Lady Comes to Texas

Hullo! Here it is, January 2nd, the Christmas sales are over, the New Year’s Day buffet has been reduced to a neat stack of leftovers, and BOND OF FIRE, the Texas vampires’ trilogy volume 2, has finally hit the bookstores! Yes, Hélène d’Agelet, the French secret agent and firestarter, just made it into the Texas vampires trilogy.

Need I mention that she’s usually very well-groomed, as in very, very fond of designer clothing? No? Yes, I thought you might have guessed that, since she’s a French aristocrat. She enjoys a glass of good sherry but is willing to explore Texas’s unique ways of drinking beer. She’s also very bookish and prefers her flirtations take place in libraries, which isn’t where you’d expect to find one of those rare lady vampires.

Oh, and she’s passionately in love with Jean-Marie St. Just, Texas’s chief diplomat, spy, and assassin. They fell for each other across a crowded ballroom at Versailles over two centuries ago. They’ve suffered through a lot of trials and tribulations ever since, including major pieces of nastiness like the French Revolution and the Peninsular Wars. In fact, matters became so bad Jean-Marie and Hélène have spent the past two centuries thinking the other was dead.

Plus, there’s Hélène’s vicious little sister Celeste who’d dearly love to see Hélène dead. Not that Hélène realizes that – yet…

And now it’s present-day Texas and Hélène has just learned Jean-Marie is still alive. She’s on her way to Austin, eager to be reunited with her true love.

Sometimes I wonder who’s in for more changes – Texas or Hélène?

Hope you enjoy spending as much time with Hélène as I did!

Diane

http://www.dianewhiteside.com/

Jodi Thomas | How do we get back up when we fall.

When considering a topic, I've decided to go with one few writers talk about--How do we get back up when we fall.

In my writing career of nearly twenty years, like most writers I've had my ups and downs. Once, just after my fifth book came out, my numbers were so bad my editor assured me I wouldn't be writing another book for them, except for the fact I'd signed a two book contract. I was down and almost went back to teaching. I'd already written book six, so I decided to try one more time. I won a RITA with that sixth book.

Since then I've learned to take the ups with the downs. I love the ups---the awards, the lists, the money---but I think it's been the downs I've had that have taught me the most in this game of writing. Sometimes I've learned to try harder. Sometimes I've learned to trust myself.

This year I decided to take another chance. With my next Historical Romance, TEXAS PRINCESS coming out in November, I'm hard at work on something different. In April I'll have a book of a different kind released. TWISTED CREEK, I can only hope my readers love it as much as my agent and editor do. This was the first book I've ever written with the door closed. No one saw it before I mailed it. I needed the story to develop without suggestions.

Now, don't think I'm leaving historicals, I love writing them and I'm in the middle of a series. I think I've been very lucky in my life to step so easily into the past and meet some really nice people there. In TEXAS PRINCESS, I enjoyed the adventure of my characters. Sometimes it seems like the stories already there, I just have to find it. This book ran full speed out of my head. I'm at home in the ranch setting.

I'm looking forward to chatting with you all.

Jodi Thomas

http://www.jodithomas.com/