July 2006

It's not often that I rant about anything, but something has been brought to my attention lately that's also been a problem I've encountered. Fresh Fiction reviewer Suan Wilson, who works for a well-known independent bookstore in the Kansas City area, runs into this problem all the time and she gets so frustrated. That problem is when the earlier releases in an ongoing series, be it mystery or romance, are out-of-print. If readers get hooked on the later books in a series and want to read the earlier books, they end up having to locate them in a used bookstore (if they're lucky), be it local or online, and taking their chances on the condition of the book. Obviously, this cuts into new book sales at the local bookstore, since some readers are reluctant to even try a later book in a series if they know they won't be able to get all of the books. Suan gives a few mystery series examples: Brenda Joyce's Francesca Cahill, Rochelle Krich's Molly Blume, Ashley Gardner's Captain Lacey, Kathy Brandt's Hannah Sampson and P. B. Ryan's Gilded era mysteries. She says, "It's hard to get readers to begin new authors when they go out of print so quickly. Basically it's the kiss of death if you can't give a customer the first book in a series." Why do publishers let those first books go out of print even as they continue releasing new installments, especially with people so eager to read continuing series?

Heads up on a hardcover that will be released by Bantam, August 8, 2006, titled THE LAST WHITE KNIGHT by Tami Hoag. This is NOT a new book but a reissued edition of Tami's 1992 Loveswept #458. This is the same practice that's been done for several years with many of those early category romances that Sandra Brown wrote under her own name, as well as her several pseudonyms. Just wanted everyone to be aware.

I was thinking that Millie Criswell was going to have one more book before her official retirement, but she's informed me that her final book was her April 2006 release, ASKING FOR TROUBLE (from HQN), that went on sale the end of March. In a recent e-mail, Millie told me, "I am now officially retired and loving every minute of it." We wish her all the best in her much-deserved retirement.

Last month, I told you that Christiane Heggan's final book would be WHERE TRUTH LIES, coming in September 2006. In her recent note she says, "You and your readers have always held a special place in my heart from the very beginning. I'll miss you all. But I'm having so much fun -- lots of time for the grandchildren, trips abroad, lunches with my friends, all those wonderful things that used to be such a luxury because of the time restriction. Say hi to all my fans for me."

July 25, 2006, is the on-sale date for Mary Balogh's SIMPLY LOVE (Delacorte hardcover), the next installment in her Miss Martin's School for Girls series set in a genteel academy in Regency England. This story is about Anne Jewell, a favorite teacher who must confront the tragedy that gave her a son, but locked her away for many years. While on summer holiday in Wales, Anne meets Sydnam Butler, a quiet hero of the Peninsular Wars. Sydnam first appeared in A SUMMER TO REMEMBER (Delacorte hardcover, 8/02 and Dell mass market, 3/03). What happens between these two scarred and wary people is more passionate than either could imagine.

Shana Abé has a new novel coming out the end of September 2006. Titled THE DREAM THIEF, it's the second entry in her Drakon (dragon) trilogy, following the mesmerizing and award-winning THE SMOKE THIEF. This book tells the story of Lia (Rue and Kit's daughter) and Zane as they search for the infamous diamond Draumr.

Candace Hern continues her Merry Widows series in August 2006 with JUST ONE OF THOSE FLINGS (Signet Eclipse), the story of Lady Beatrice Somerfield, a young widow chaperoning her niece when she meets Gabriel, the Marquess of Thayne, the man most of the debutantes want for a husband. Thayne and Beatrice start a sensual clandestine affair while Thayne searches for a bride among the Season's young ladies. However, none of them excite him the way Beatrice does. Will he be able to convince her to break her vow to never marry again?

In August 2006, watch for Vicki Lewis Thompson's next Nerd book, NERDS LIKE IT HOT (St. Martin's). This time the setting is a cruise aimed at single geeks. As the only witness to a murder, plain-girl Gillian is hiding out on the cruise ship with Lex, a P.I. bodyguard who thought he'd left his nerdy ways behind. But close proximity to Gillian, who's donned a sexy disguise, is driving him nuts. Add to the passenger list a hired mobster, a cross-dressing sociopath and hundreds of lusty nerds, and you have the scenario for another hilarious adventure.

Candace Havens returns in September 2006 with CHARMED & READY, her follow-up to last year's CHARMED & DANGEROUS, featuring Bronwyn, a witch who uses her powers for good as an undercover agent for the British Prime Minister. This time around, she finds herself guarding a Goth rock star when she'd really rather be home in Texas nursing the love of her life back to health, especially when said boyfriend becomes jealous and won't return her calls. What's a good witch to do?

In September 2006, Kimberly Raye kicks off a sexy, off-beat, hilarious, undead trilogy with DEAD END DATING (Ballantine Ivy), featuring a matchmaking vampire, Countess Lilliana Arabella Guinevere du Marchette (aka Lil). Soon after opening her new dating service for vampires (because even the undead need love!), Lil gets involved with sexy Ty Bonner, a vampire and bounty hunter whose investigation of a series of murders leads him to Dead End Dating. Can Lil help Ty find the murderer before he kills again and ruins her new business entirely? The series continues in spring 2007 with DEAD & DATELESS, and then ONE BITE STAND is due in summer 2007.

Karyn Witmer-Gow, who writes historical romance as Elizabeth Grayson, will have her first contemporary women's fiction novel, A SIMPLE GIFT, coming out from Dell in paperback September 2006. A SIMPLE GIFT is the story of the Avery and Mike Montgomery, who thought they were the perfect American family until their daughter, Fiona, ran away. Now Fiona's back and all Avery can think about is how to reunite her broken family. She decides to do it with a simple gift, a cutting from the Christmas cactus that has been passed down through five generations of women in her family. Karyn wants readers to know that this new contemporary novel will not be coming out under her Grayson pseudonym, but as Karyn Witmer. And, yes, she hopes to continue writing both types of novels under both names for many years to come.

For those of you who've been anxiously wanting to know, October 31, 2006, is the date set for the hardcover release of DARKFEVER (Delacorte) by Karen Marie Moning. This spin-off from Karen's highly popular Highlander series takes place a little over three years after the end of SPELL OF THE HIGHLANDER. When MacKayla O'Connor's sister is murdered, a cryptic phone message causes her to go to Ireland looking for answers. Once there, she's drawn into a shadowy realm where the line between good and evil is indistinct. While digging deeper into the murder, Mac's own life is in danger when she discovers she has the power to see beyond the world of man and into the dangerous realm of Fae. And as the fabric between these worlds starts to tear, Mac must find the all-powerful Dark Book, for whoever possesses it will have total control of both worlds. Then add to the pursuit a ruthless Fae male who makes sex an addiction for human women, and Mac has her work cut out for her.

Iris Johansen is currently working on her next hardcover release from Bantam featuring her ever-popular heroine, forensic sculptor Eve Duncan. Titled STALEMATE, it's set for publication the end of this year. Recently, Iris signed a multimillion-dollar, eight-book deal with a new publisher, St. Martin's. This new contract will include two books co-written with her son, mystery author Roy Johansen.

The second book in the Jane Kelly Mystery series by Nancy Bush is titled ELECTRIC BLUE and slated for hardcover publication in October 2006 from Kensington. This follows the September 2006 mass market issuance of the launch book of this series, CANDY APPLE RED, which debuted in hardcover format October 2005.

In November 2006, watch for the latest addition to Kinley MacGregor's Lords of Avalon series.-- KNIGHT OF DARKNESS tells the story of Varian, one of the most hated of the Lords of Avalon. Since his father was the traitor Lancelot and his mother is the right hand of Morgen Le Fey, everyone's a bit suspicious of him. Unrepentant and irreverent, he prefers solitude and has a frightening understanding of magic. And his reputation isn't helped by the fact that he's basically Merlin's hitman.

On June 10, 2006, my local writers group, KS Writers, Inc., hosted an all-day writer's workshop at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library in Topeka, Kansas, that featured the enthusiastic, knowledgeable and exuberant Eileen Dreyer (aka Kathleen Korbel). Everyone had a great time and learned a lot!

Keep cool and see you back here next month...Tanzey