Wednesday Promo- Jenna Peterson

I'm pleased to promote Jenna Peterson's current release, What the Duke Desires.

Bio:
Jenna Petersen is the award-winning author of historical romances and erotic historical romances (as Jess Michaels) for Avon and Avon Red. She is also well-known for her site for aspiring authors, The Passionate Pen, which gets nearly 200,000 hits per month. Her current releases are What the Duke Desires (November 2009) and Taboo (May 2009, w/a Jess Michaels).

What about the regency period attracts you to writing that genre?
I like the dichotomy of the time period. Scandal could ruin you and yet scandal was all around. There are so many rules to break or bend or feel the consequences of!


How do you find ways to make your heroes and heroines different in each book?
Well, I’m big on character. I really think character IS plot. So I start out with my hero and heroine before I write a work of any story. In the end their childhood experiences and goals will make them different people.

What do you have in the works?
I just had the first book in my “The Billingham Bastards” series hit the shelves yesterday. WHAT THE DUKE DESIRES should be on shelves everywhere right now! There are two books in the works to follow, THE UNCLAIMED DUCHESS in September 2010 and an untitled third book some time in 2011.

Blurb: WHAT THE DUKE DESIRES:

Simon Crathorne has never felt quite “right” in his own life. Even with his friends, he never fit. But now his father is dead and he has inherited the Dukedom, and all the responsibility that goes with it. And since his father was always known as a highly moral, upstanding man, Simon has big shoes to fill. Lillian Mayhew doesn’t buy the late Duke’s exalted reputation one bit. A lifetime of hearing her father talk about the man’s sins and seeing the torment her family endured at his hands has made her bitter and a final secret she discovered as her father lay dying has turned her bitterness to a drive to destroy the good name of the man she feels wronged her. No matter the price.

But when Simon and Lillian meet, sparks fly and passion erupts, leaving Lillian with an ugly choice. Can she abandon her quest for revenge, just as she is on the cusp of fulfilling her duty? Or will she betray a man whose past turns out to be a murky sea of lies and betrayals neither one could have ever anticipated? A man whose kiss could change her life forever.

For an excerpt hop on over to Jenna's website. http://www.jennapetersen.com/whatthedukedesires.htm

Wednesday Promo - Jess Michaels

Today we have a blog from a fellow chapter member of the Hearts Through History online RWA chapter. She has wonderful stories and is a great person.

What An Author Wants
Jenna Petersen

Hi everyone and thanks to Paty for having me here today on her blog! Today is the day after release day for me. Yes, yesterday my 13th published book hits stores. TABOO is an erotic historical romance published under my Jess Michaels name by Avon’s Red line. AND just three weeks ago another of my books was published, HER NOTORIOUS VISCOUNT under my Jenna Petersen name by Avon.

I’ve never had two books out in the same month. Back to back before, but never right at the same time. It’s very exciting, but it definitely gives me extra things to worry about. You see, authors tend to freak out about releases. It doesn’t seem to matter how calm and steady a person you are, the week your book comes out, you lose your mind.

But there are a few things that readers can do (that are free) to help their favorite authors:

1. Buy the book. Okay this one is not free, but if you love an author, you’re probably doing it anyway. And I know times are tough, but the more often you can buy an author new, the better it is for them (any books bought used don’t get reported to our publishers so they don’t see them as sales). So maybe rotate what you buy used each month or buy just one extra book new. Every little bit helps!

2. Pick it up early. The first couple weeks of a book’s sales are often the most closely watched so even if you aren’t going to read a book instantly, if you can pick it up close to its release date, it can make a big difference to contract renewals and positioning to your favorite author.

3. Talk about the book. Lots of people buy books purely through word of mouth from friends and fellow readers. So if you read a book you love, talk about it. If you post on message boards regularly, bring it up. Or post it on your blog. Sometimes we’ll even stumble upon these things online and there is nothing better than finding someone chatting about your book.

4. Write a review. Even if you don’t like the book, that’s okay! Pop up a review on Amazon or Barnes and Noble and it plays into the “buzz” factor.

5. Friend the author on MySpace/Facebook/wherever. And visit their website! Not only is this a great way to find out new info about your favorite author, but it’s a fun way to connect.

6. Email the author. As a reader you may not know how much a kind email can make an author’s day. This is a lonely profession, filled with disappointment as well as wonderful surprises. Every time I get a reader email, it makes my day a bit brighter and I know I’m not alone in that.

And most of all… keep being a reader! We love you and you keep our genre alive!