Minx roundup - what's new and coming up from the minxes?

Yee-haw! Time for a minx roundup! There are way too many books to put in all the covers in this roundup, so you'll have to click on the links to see them because I'm only including one cover in this post, which is this one...

Yes! Just in time for Christmas, Blaze by the minxes is out in paperback from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk - perfect to give to a friend (or to yourself if you want to!). It is of course, available for Kindle too.

The minxes have been busy with new releases, and there are more out in November, so here we go...

New Releases:

Tara Pammi - A Hint of Scandal - Amazon.com/Amazon.co.uk
Maya Blake - Marriage Made of Secrets - Amazon.com/Amazon.co.uk
Romy Sommer - The Trouble with Mojitos - Amazon.com/Amazon.co.uk
Lorraine Wilson - Secrets of a Chalet Girl - Amazon.com/Amazon.co.uk

Out slightly longer, but pretty new...

Suzanne Ross Jones - Your Secret Smile (Montcraig Sweethearts) - Amazon.com/Amazon.co.uk
Maya Blake - Hostage to Love - Amazon.com/Amazon.co.uk
Lorraine Wilson - Confessions of a Chalet Girl  - Amazon.com/Amazon.co.uk
Romy Sommer - Waking up in Vegas - Amazon.com/Amazon.co.uk
Sally Clements - Runaway Groom - Amazon.com/Amazon.co.uk

Out now in paperback....search for them on Amazon and other paperback retailers...

Blaze - The Minxes of Romance
Suzanna Ross - Trust In Me - Large print paperback from Linford Romance Library.
Kitty French - Knight & Play 
Kitty French - Knight & Stay
Sally Clements - Runaway Groom
Tara Pammi - A Hint of Scandal
Maya Blake - Marriage Made of Secrets

Coming up:

Tara Pammi - A Touch of Temptation (1 Nov) - Amazon.com/Amazon.co.uk
Kitty French - Wanderlust (5 Nov) - Amazon.com/Amazon.co.uk
Maya Blake - His Ultimate Prize (29 Nov) - Amazon.com/Amazon.co.uk
Sally Clements - Mile High (Nov) no links yet
Sally Clements - Three Minutes to Happiness (Nov) no links yet

For other minx books, check out the tab at the top of the page, which shows links, covers and blurbs.

There's more coming up in December, but I'll leave those to the next minx roundup!

April News

We've had a busy month, with 8 new Minx books out and many other projects percolating.
Here's a roundup of April's news.

Romy - New book out via Harper Impulse - Waking Up in Vegas will be available from May 9th, and is available for pre-order now on Amazon and Amazon UK.

Rae - Re-release of Let's Misbehave - available exclusively on Amazon and Amazon UK now.




Rae - New book, Prohibited Passion is now also available on Amazon and Amazon UK.

Kat - Undertaking Love via HarperCollins, available everywhere now including Amazon and Amazon UK.






Tara - Mills and Boon/Harlequin debut A Hint of Scandal is now available to pre-order on Amazon and Amazon UK.

Maya - The Sinful Art of Revenge is available in bookshops and as an ebook (Amazon and Amazon UK amongst others).








Suzanne - After a bumper March in which she sold five short stories and the large print rights for Hidden Heartache, Suz sold a further two short stories this month, and her latest People's Friend pocket novel Your Secret Smile, is available in shops now.

Kitty French - Knight and Stay release date Monday 6th May.






In other news, Lorraine has two books out on submission, Maya has delivered her 4th Mills and Boon, and Sally is preparing a new book to self publish... watch this space!

Breaking News: A new Minx!

The Minxes are completely thrilled to announce that we have a new Minx joining our ranks!

Since the success of Fifty Shades and Bared to You, we've toyed with the idea of inviting an erotica author into our midst, and we are delighted that KITTY FRENCH, author of Knight & Play, currently in the Top 100 on the Amazon fiction charts, has accepted our invitation.

Please join us in welcoming Kitty, make her feel at home - and don't forget to buy the first book in her Knight Series, available from Amazon and Amazon UK.

Did I mention that as I write this, Knight & Play is currently in the Top 100 on Amazon? The book has only been on sale for two weeks, and has already reached #8 on the Kindle Erotica charts, with literally dozens of 5-star reviews!

You can chat to Kitty on Twitter or Facebook, or follow her blog.She also has a Knight & Play Pinterest board.

Kitty, thanks so much for joining the Minxes and we hope you enjoy being part of the group.

Anything Goes Friday

Firstly, congratulations to Lorraine Minx, who has won a Kindle from Mills & Boon for the Riva bag she designed, and to Jo C Minx who is this month's Featured Member on the Mills & Boon Community Site.

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This week-end is your last chance to vote for your favourite Welsh hunk, if you haven't already. Voting closes at midday on Monday (UK time). To view the contenders, click here. (And please, please vote for Ioan Gruffudd - I cannot believe he's being beaten out by Timothy Dalton at the moment!)

In this slot next week, we'll announce the winner and post the pictures of our next set of hotties: the Scots.

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The Romance Reviews is a new site for both readers and authors. Tuesday 1st March is their official launch day, and they are running some fabulous contests and launch give-aways throughout the month of March, so check it out.

Romance Junkies is also running contests for readers and writers, sponsored by Carina Press. There's something for everyone, so don't miss out.

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The Wild Rose Press have sent out a submission call on their Yahoo loops. They're looking for romances along the lines of category novels, with secret babies and uber-rich heroes, so if you have any subs lying around gathering dust, send them in. Click here for the submission guidelines.

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And finally, thanks to Lacey Minx for this link, reminding us that Happy Ever Afters can be found anywhere.

A Minxy Valentine Celebration

In addition to the obvious reason to celebrate on February 14th, we Minxes have a very special reason to celebrate this Valentine's Day: it's release day for our very own Sally Minx's Bound to Love.

Bound to Love is Sally's second novel, and its a launch title for Embrace Books, a new imprint of Salt Publishing. You'll be able to find out more about Sally, and get an inside look at her inspiration for this story, when she appears in our Author Spotlight on 2nd March.

Until then, here's a glimpse at the gorgeous cover for Bound to Love, and the blurb.

About Bound to Love

Jake Forrester, a controlled, self-reliant security expert scarred by his father's murder, is pursuing his goal of an independent life, relying on himself and logic, until he's forced to accept the help of an impulsive, spirited goldsmith who follows her instincts, wherever they may lead.

When Tempest MacKenzie witnesses a gorgeous stranger being bundled into a van, she tries to help him, but becomes tangled in a complex web of intrigue. Tempest finds stubborn Jake attractive, compelling and infuriating, his logic the complete antithesis of her reliance on her instincts. And Jake is fascinated and attracted to the feisty redhead.

As they spend time together trying to thwart a heist at the British Museum, the attraction between them flares out of control. The thief has a grudge against Jake, and danger stalks their every move. Will Jake learn to trust Tempest's intuition, before it's too late?

Bound to Love is available in paperback and as an eBook from Amazon, Amazon UK and direct from Embrace Books.

Sally's being a busy blogger today, so we'd be really grateful if you could support her. She'll be at the RNA blog, amongst others, andyou can find out more at Sally's own blog, Love and Chocolate.

Later this week, we'll be hosting another new Embrace author, Rachel Lyndhurst, so watch this spot!

Minxy News: Wild Roses Blog Tour

Three of us Minxes are doing a blog tour for the next four Wednesdays, along with other authors from The Wild Rose Press. Please stop by along the tour to show your support for Maya, Sally and me (as my alter ego, Rae Summers).

There are ten participating blogs and each and every one will be running a tour contest, which means that you have ten chances to win! The tour is Christmas-themed so you'll also be able to get lots of holiday ideas, as well as pick up some new holiday reads.

For more information on the participating authors, the prizes they're offering, and who is visiting where and when, click here: http://rosestour.blogspot.com/.

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And talking about contests, congratulations to Ketinka and Stephanie C who have each won a signed copy of Christina Hollis' The Italian's Blushing Gardener. Well done ladies. Please send your email addresses to the Minxes on minxesofromance@yahoo.co.uk so we can forward them to Christina.

And a huge thank to Christina for running the contest. We really enjoyed having you here!

Friday News & A Poll

You know that show So You Think You Can Dance? Ever thought of attempting it? No? Me neither! But, for every writer out there, there’s another challenge - So You Think You Can Write? For most of us the answer is...yes, or maybe.

Whatever your response is, the lovely people at Harlequin are setting us all a challenge. In their words…

Does your imagination run wild with vivid characters? Have you ever dreamed of becoming a USA TODAY bestselling author? Well, our editors want to make those dreams come true. We are hungry to find talented new writers for Harlequin Books. Through podcasts, blogs, and discussions with our expert editors and current authors, we’re going to help you understand the appeal of the romance genre. And there’s a special daily challenge with feedback that will give some great insights into crafting the perfect story. So for the next week, come by to hone your skills and get started on the path to publication. So you think you can write? Here’s your chance to show us!

Seriously, this a truly spectacular chance to show what you can do. And, pssst! We’ve heard one of the podcasts is by friend of the Minxes, Maisey Yates! We've also heard she's got the cutest accent so do check it out!

So, sharpen your pencil, or pens, or keyboards (hmm, maybe not the last one) and prepare for this awesome event. For more details click on the link below

http://harlequinblog.com/so-you-think-you-can-write/

In other news, I wanted to chat about pitches. In case you haven’t heard (yet), I did an online pitch on Wednesday for Carina Press and I truly wanted to encourage anyone who's ever been too intimidated or (like me) too scared out their wits, to attempt one. Yes, it's scary, yes you'll shake like a leaf in an autumn wind, but believe me, it’s so worth it just for the experience. I know some people prefer face-to-face pitches where you can tell the other person’s body language, see their smile of encouragement, or hear the nuances in their voice, but for me, letting my fingers do the work was enough for me. Of course, sitting in my jogging pants and covered in biscuit crumbs also gave me comfort like nothing else, lol.

What also helps is the pitchee. In my case, Executive Editor Angela James was so lovely and put me at ease immediately. According to Rae of eHarlequin, they hold pitches for various lines every few months, so if you’ve never thought of it, I can attest that it’s a great way to get your work in front of an editor. So go for it! And if you have awesome cheerleaders on your side or an Unstoppable Force aka a pom pom waving sister high on sisterly love like Jodie’s sister Nini, do bring her along!

Romy's addendum:

What our Modest Minx Maya has neglected to mention above is that she got a FULL REQUEST from Angela James in that pitch. Way to go, Maya!

In other news, Lorraine Minx brought to our attention that Mills&Boon recently ran a survey among readers looking for the celebrity who makes the best Ultimate Romantic Hero.
The winner was an interesting choice: Simon Cowell.

However, we Minxes know who we'd prefer. (Hint: here he is!).

We're pretty sure all our blog readers have an opinion on their Ultimate Romantic Hero, so check back here next Friday for the Minxy version of this poll.

A giggle of minxes at New Voices!

So far, four Minxes have entered the New Voices competition

with some fantastically sparkling entries!

To make it easy to find all the minx entries - we're doing a list here together with a brief blurb on their stories - just click on the title to have a read and vote! Once you've read the chapter and commented, you vote by clicking on the story title on the left, which brings you to the 'roses', click on the one you want to cast your vote.

Lorraine Wilson
Title: In Too Deep
Ex-army officer Hal Wright has recovered from his battle wounds but not from his survivor guilt. Asked to look out for Evie Richards as a 
favour he agrees. But she's proven she can save herself. Trusting again? That's another matter entirely...

Joanne Pibworth
Title: Sequins and Secrets
Take one burlesque star with a huge glittering genie lamp. Add one Aussie hot-shot with three sinful wishes. What do you get? The perfect recipe for a very grown up fairy tale.


Suzanne Jones
Title: Manhunt
Nicole Adams is convinced Angelo Russo is a hero. He's not so sure about that - experience has made him cautious. Can Nicole summon the courage to tell Angelo who she really is? And, if she does, will it ruin their relationship?


Romy Sommer
Title: Valentino's Angel
Sylvie and Valentino are like oil and water, but the spark between them is undeniable. When fate throws them together, they discover that the person who seems completely wrong for you might actually be completely right.

Do pop over and give them some feedback before the competition ends!

We have another minx or possibly two entering later today or early tomorrow, so do check back on Thursday for their details!

Anything Goes Friday - Good Telling & Exciting News

I have a confession to make. I am really bad at showing. Telling comes way more naturally.

Happily, thanks to my lovely crit group and the editor I've been working with at Wild Rose Press, I'm learning to spot 'telling' the moment my fingers type the words on the page. But there are still times when a telling sentence works better for me than going into the detail of showing, especially when I want to make a quick point. So imagine my surprise when I followed a link to an article that was all about Good Telling. And yes, apparently there is such a thing!

So if, like me, you suffer from this affliction, here's a link to the article at Kidlit.com. The rest of you can go back to polishing your haloes.

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On the news front, there's been some talk lately on the Subcare board at eHarlequin about a few changes to the Mills & Boon lines edited out of London. (If you're an aspiring writer and haven't yet discovered Subcare, I highly recommend it. You can click here to join the eHarlequin forums).

While no official announcement has been made, the Minxes have gone sleuthing and discovered that the Romance line appears to be splitting into two distinct categories called Riva and Cherish. According to Michelle Styles, this is more a re-branding exercise than a change in content, so there's no fear of your favourite writers disappearing from the shelves.

Cherish, as the name implies, will have the same "wonderful heart warming hearth and family" and "feel good" qualities that the current Romance line embodies, as represented by authors like Donna Alward. [Quotes are from Michelle Styles on the Subcare forum].

Riva will be a fun and flirty new line, or in the words of Kelly Hunter, whose With This Fling will launch the new line in January 2011: "Choc full of warmth, wit, and varying degrees of sensuality. Vibrant and gorgeous packaging." Writers will be sourced from both the Romance and Modern Heat lines, though Modern Heat will continue to be distributed as Presents Extra in the US and Sexy in Australia.

With four titles a month, Riva is a wonderful opportunity for new writers, and an even more wonderful source of books for readers like me who love that modern, sassy tone. If you like the sound of these books and haven't yet discovered them, look out for authors like Liz Fielding, Jessica Hart, Fiona Harper, Ally Blake and Nicola Marsh - and of course, Kelly Hunter.

If any of our blog readers have more information on the changes in Richmond, or corrections to anything we've heard so far, please feel free to leave a comment or send us an email. Our Minxy ears are pricked and ready.

Minx Monday - Covers

A picture post this Monday, featuring covers from three minxes.

First: Maya's book.

Hostage to Love, By Maya Blake
available now from Wild Rose.

Next up, Romy's book, Let's Misbehave, (writing as Rae Summers) which is available 7th July from Wild Rose (there'll be a later post closer to release about this one)

Read more about Romy/Rae's book here.

And finally, Sally's  book, Catch Me A Catch by Sally Clements, available from Wild Rose later in the summer.

Anything Goes Friday – News

First - we have a winner to our competition. Congratulations, Kerrin you have won one of Sandra's books. (Please send Sandra mailing address plus email) And our 2 runners up who have won bookmarks and postcards are Ashley and PenandPaints. (Please send Sandra mailing address)
Now, the Minxes have three different juicy bits of news for all you writers out there.

The first is the Brenda Novak auction, which I’m sure most people are aware of. This is Brenda’s 6th online auction in aid of Diabetes research. Last year she raised nearly $280,000 for Diabetes Research and this year the aim is $1,000,000. Yes, you read that right, One Million Dollars.

There is jewellery, books, gifts, woodwork, anything you can imagine really. And, of particular interest to writers, there are critiques by our favourite writers, agent evaluations, and editor evaluations. It’s a fabulous opportunity to everyone to not only get some vital help from the movers and shakers in the industry, but also to donate to a good cause. Do check it out!

Next, we minxes are very interested to hear about the Brava Novella Contest, which is launching in June 2010, details over on the Brava Writers Website. Although it is titled Brava Novella Contest, they are looking for a full-length. Alicia Condon of Brava describes the competition as follows:

Brava is sending out a call to unpublished writers of paranormal, historical and contemporary romance , as well as romantic suspense: We’re looking for a hot debut novel to be published in 2012 under the Brava imprint at Kensington.
If you’ve written a sensual full-length romance novel, this is a great opportunity to submit to the editors at Brava, who will be reading the entries and selecting the top ten finalists. Starting in September, each of our top ten will be paired with one of Brava’s star authors for the next stage of the competition – creating one-of-a kind opening hooks, to-die-for heroes, sizzling love scenes and more.
Each of the ten finalists will have her own temporary page here on BravaAuthors.com as well as the opportunity to guest blog on the site. And each month the results of the challenges will appear in RT Book Reviews along with commentary from the Brava mentors and a panel of romance celebrity judges. Readers and fans themselves will vote for the winner, who will be announced at the awards ceremony of the 2011 Romantic Times convention.

Finally, Angela James of Carina Press (Harlequin’s digital only imprint) tweeted on Monday that she is looking for Novella submissions. She tweeted the length of novellas she is interested in is 40,000-45,000 words. Angela also stated that she’s acquired three last Tuesday, so well worth a shot! Here’s the link to Angela’s blog, and you can view Carina’s website by clicking on the link above.