Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Matilda - Come Check Her Out!

I wanted to share my review for my friend Phyllis Levine's sweet romance Matilda. This is a great novel for young adult readers all the way to those searching for sweet romance in a sea of saucy work.


Title: Matilda
Author: Phyllis Levine
Publisher: Wasteland Press
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Length: 99 pages
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 ½ books (out of 5)
Review by: Wendi Zwaduk

She’s going to make it after all and win your heart in the process. Meet the new heroine for the new millennium – Matilda!
When I opened Matilda, by Phyllis Levine, I knew I was in for a treat. Matilda shines with warmth and courage. Many small town girls dream of finding themselves, but many never venture farther than their own city block. Matilda escapes her poor childhood in England and ventures to America to become the nanny for the Evergreen family. Along the way, she meets interesting people, sees the sights that northern Ohio has to offer, and finds herself. A delightful story, through and through.
Phyllis Levine writes with her heart and each character conveys that emotion. The reader comes away from this story feeling like they’ve met with a new set of life-long friends. The chapters are shorter which makes the story flow with ease for even young adult readers. Her descriptions are rich and detailed, making it easy for the reader to feel a part of the story.
If you want a story about a clever woman determined to find her place in life, then meet Matilda. You’ll love her too! I give this novel 4 ½ books.


You can get your own copy of Matilda by going to Phyllis's website:

http://www.phyllislevine.us/

Enjoy!

Cover Addict and Loving It

I just read Regina Carlysle's blog about being a cover addict and I must admit I'm guilty, but not at all ashamed. When I venture to the store in hopes if snatching a new romance to read, of course I have my faves - Lori Foster, Kresley Cole, Erin McCarthy, Janice Maynard, Carly Phillips, and Jennifer Crusie, to name a few - but I'm also tempted when I see the new Harlequin's each month, especially the Blaze novels.

Yes, I am a sucker for a hard body with little chest hair and a Stetson. Call me crazy, but I don't care.

I picked up Kimberly Raye's Drop Dead Sexy simply because I liked the man on the cover. Okay, I enjoyed her work until then too. Once I opened the book, I found it was one of my all time faves! So sue me. The man drew me in and now I have all the books from that series, save for Tex Appeal. Oh, I did read it and savored it, but I didn't quite get to the store in time to buy it. Darn it.

The same thing happened with Kresley Cole's A Hunger Like No Other. The man on the cover looked like Trent Reznor (of Nine Inch Nails). For some reason he caught my eye. I loved that book instantly too.

The same goes for Lora Leigh's elite op's boys and her SEALS. Hard body. T, D, & H, I'm sold.

So enough blustering about my addictions. I have to go back to the bat cave to work on my own writing.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Getting a Tad Closer

Golly I really need to get on here and force myself to blog or I totally forget. Anyway...

Heard some news about Coming Home. Here's a blurb:

Imagine you have the life you've always wanted. You have a home, a decent job, and a loving husband. Now imagine that you received a letter from that loving husband seeking a divorce? What's a girl to do? In Abby's case, she chooses to bow out gracefully and walk away, but not before she gives him something steamy to remember her by.

I submitted this story to The Wild Rose Press over a year ago and was told to resubmit after a few major changes. I did and the editor was very nice about it. She gave me a timeline and suggested I keep in touch. I emailed when she suggested. Right now it's under consideration and she liked the changes I made. Possibly going to the head editor for the Scarlet Line. I'm psyched, but scared. I want her to like it, but I've never been this far before. I don't want to feel the sting of rejection just quite yet.

Keep your fingers crossed for me.

More later!

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Call out for Reviewers!

Are you an avid romance reader? Would you like to have the opportunityto read as much as you have time for?

The Long and the Short of it Romance Reviews(http://www.longands hortreviews. com<http://www.longands hortreviews. com/> ) is currently in need of morereviewers to help with the amazing abundance of requests for review thatwe have in our database!

We offer an incentive program for our reviewersthat includes Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble gift certificates, freeadvertising on our site, free print books and more, not to mention allthe eBooks and occasional print books that you can handle.

Reviewers are asked to complete at least two reviews each month and wealso allow and encourage you to review other books you read, in additionto the ones in our database if they fall within our guidelines.

You need to be able to write using proper grammar and punctuation,though all reviews do go through an editor prior to publication.

If you're interested, please email us at lasreviews@gmail. com<http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/LASReviews /post?postID= fZAXO38he5v- xbSjRv\iHfoE1bW97l60PI_ 5HwyUl0PS39KDB- 1UKjU7_HN7hsKrbt Bv0Y7qIXWVdmg> – ifyou were referred by a friend or associate, please mention their name. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Mention my name and you'll get bonus points! Cool huh?

Toodles.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Getting Closer

I decided to be a little proactive the other day and emailed an inquiry concerning my submissions. Don't know that it caused any harm, but it did do some good as the first three chapters of Right Where I Need to Be were requested.

I know I have to work on that crazy thing called patience. I'm bad about having patience - ask my hubby. But sometimes you need to give that little extra nudge to get things going and sometimes, just sometimes, that little nudge give the impression that you're willing to stick your neck out for your work.

So now I wait some more and pray a lot hoping that the manuscript I put blood, sweat, and tears (and not just the band) into will, as my friend Kiss Carson said, "see the light of publication".

Toodles!

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Still Waiting - So Here's Some Hot Reads to Check Out!

It's like Christmas all over again... except that I'm not guaranteed the big payoff.

I'm still waiting on a response from The Wild Rose Press concerning a contemporary novel and spicy novella I submitted. I know, I know... patience is a virtue. I know, I know... what will happen will and what won't, won't.

So in the mean time, I thought I'd send a shout out about a few really great reads I found. Check them out - you might find you like them too!

Best of Intentions - Michelle Cary - The Wild Rose Press - A sweet read with a psychic twist! Former high school sweethearts Devin McFadden and Tessa Parker reunite to rekindle their love after a tragic accident. Can they accomplish their goals and catch a murderer?

The Sweetest Sin - Lexie Davis - Total-E-Bound - He’s a rock star dealing with an overwhelming sense of entitlement – to Callie. She’s an overworked, underappreciated overachiever working for Sin, the ultimate rocker. What happens when he shifts from Overindulgent Sin to The Sweetest Sin? Callie gets the ride of her life.

Engaging Deception - Summer Jordan - Total-E-Bound - Erin Fox wants the tall, dark, and handsome love of her life to swoop in, sweep her off her feet, and help her prove to her mother that she really is engaged. Joe wasn’t the right guy and neither was Mitch, but Derek thinks he could be. There’s only one catch… he’d engaged! So is the story of Engaging Deception.

Closer to You - Marie Rochelle - Phaze Books -One heroine with trust issues plus one hero with the insatiable appetite for the heroine equals one hot read! Such is the case with Closer to You.

And My new Favorite:

Damn Good Man - Michelle Witvliet - The Wild Rose Press - Have a house to sell? Ask for Gwen Marconi. Have a heart longing for its perfect match? Ask for Dr. Joel Hubbard. Want a sexy love story that combines the best elements of both? Then you need to read Damn Good Man.

You can find all these in ebook format from their respective publishers. Enjoy!

More later!