2009 News Archive
Do you have good news to share? Send it to news@vfrw.com.
November 2009
Ruth Roque received her first review for her first romance ebook! Romance Junkies gives SAFE MATTERS (published by Dark Castle Lords) a Blue Ribbon Rating of 4! http://romancejunkiesreviews.com/artman/publish/contemporary/Safe_Matters.shtml
Congratulations to Terri Brisbin for her DOUBLE WIN in the NJRW Golden Leaf Contest. POSSESSED BY THE HIGHLANDER won the Best Historical category and BLAME IT ON THE MISTLETOE won the Best Novella category.
Congratulations to Robin Kaye for her Golden Leaf winner, ROMEO, ROMEO, in the Best Single Title category.
SHARING SPACES by Laura Graham Booth and GABRIEL’S ANGEL by Carla Kempert tied for second place in the Single Title Category of the NJRW Put Your Heart in a Book contest. Congratulations!
Judi Fennell is thrilled to announce that she sold a new 3 book series to Sourcebooks.
September/October 2009
THE END AT RIVER’S BEND by Cathryn Pritchard is a finalist in the 2009 Get Your Stiletto in the Door contest, placed second in the Charter Oak Romance Writers Golden Acorn Excellence in Writing Awards, and finaled in the Indiana Romance Writers Golden Opportunity Contest in the Mainstream with Romantic Elements category!
Congratulations to Terri Brisbin for her double final in the NJRW Golden Leaf Contest for POSSESSED BY THE HIGHLANDER (Best Historical) and BLAME IT ON THE MISTLETOE (Best Novella). Also, congratulations to finalists Judi Fennell for IN OVER HER HEAD (Paranormal and Best First Book) and Robin Kaye for ROMEO, ROMEO (Best Single Title).
Congratulations to our finalists in the NJRW Put Your Heart in a Book Contest! Laura Graham Booth’s SHARING SPACES and Carla Kempert’s GABRIEL’S ANGEL are both finalists in the Single Title Category.
Congratulations to Adele Dubois, who was awarded the 2009 SUPERSTAR Award by Ellora’s Cave Publishing for DESERT FEVER and DESERT WILD.
Carolyn Matkowsky sold a short story to True Experience Magazine. “The Thanksgiving Dance” will appear in the Winter 2009 issue.
Adele Dubois and Stephanie Julian are very excited to let everyone know that Ellora’s Cave print titles will be available soon in ALL bookstores. Titles are arriving now at Barnes and Noble and will appear soon at Borders. Print titles can be ordered from your local bookstore. Look for Steph’s SHADOW MAGIC and Adele’s DESERT NECTAR in print!
Miriam Newman is going to print! SCION, a futuristic romance published by DCL press, will be Miriam’s first book to go to print! Congratulations!
Judi Fennell was recently interviewed by her local paper. The article is about 3/4 of the page in the actual newspaper with her photo and the cover of her first book, IN OVER HER HEAD. http://www.timesherald.com/articles/2009/09/15/life/doc4aaeca4e09491989314454.txt
August 2009
Cathy Pritchard’s cozy murder mystery, THE END AT RIVER’S BEND, won second place in the Central Florida Romance Writers TOUCH OF MAGIC contest in the Novel with Strong Romantic Elements category and is a current finalist in the Charter Oak Romance Writers GOLDEN ACORN contest in the Mainstream with Strong Romantic Elements category. www.cathrynpritchard.com.
Congratulations to Terri Brisbin, our very own 2009 Rita Finalist in the Best Novella category, Blame It On The Mistletoe! www.terribrisbin.com
DESERT WILD by Adele Dubois received Rave Reviews from Reader Views: “The erotic moments are incredibly well-written… An all-around great read.” www.adeledubois.com
Ruth Zavitsanos, writing as Ruth Roque, has a new release. The novella SAFE MATTERS is available at www.allromanceebooks.com. Just type in the title!
Read an interview with Judi Fennell at http://romancewritersonthejourney.wordpress.com/2009/07/08/meet-debut-author-judi-fennell/ www.JudiFennell.com
Adele Dubois has a new agent for her single title contemporary romance THE NOVICE WIFE. www.adeledubois.com
Judi Fennell and Stephanie Julian will be presenters at the reader’s conference Authors after Dark Paranormal Weekend, October 23-25, 2009. http://www.authorsafterdark.net/
Laura Graham Booth will be conducting her Building a Web Presence workshop at the NJRW PUT YOUR HEART IN A BOOK Conference, October 23-24, 2009. http://www.lgb-designs.com
April 2009
Adele Dubois has signed a contract for DESERT WILD, the sequel to her current paranormal release DESERT FEVER. Look for an early summer release from Ellora’s Cave.
Donna Michaels is thrilled to have finaled over at the Manic Readers Contest. Her manuscript will be read by NAL editor Becky Vinter. Her sci-fi, LEGEND OF THE FOURTH MOON/THE MARK OF GOREN is finally going to be released in e-book and print on May 8th.
VFRW webmistress Laura Graham Booth has received an invitation to speak at the 2009 NJRW Put Your Heart in A Book Conference. She is also giving the “Building a Web Presence” talk at Bucks County Romance Writers this coming August.
March 2009
DESERT FEVER by Adele Dubois got a Five Sweethearts review from The Romance Studio and Five Angels from Fallen Angels reviews, in addition to Night Owl Romance reviews Top Pick! The Romance Studio called DESERT FEVER, “Exceedingly erotic and beautifully written.” The sequel DESERT WILD will be a mid-2009 release.
Ellora’s Cave has contracted the sixth book in The Magical Seduction series by Stephanie Julian. SEDUCED BY DANGER will be released May 5. The series also garnered three great reviews from Fallen Angel Reviews!
www.stephaniejulian.com
Miriam Newman’s contemporary fantasy novella STUPID CUPID was released on 2/1/09 and earned a three-cup review from Coffee Time Romance. Her fantasy historical THE KING’S DAUGHTER placed 8th in Predators and Editors’ recent contest in the Romance Novel category for 2008. www.miriamnewman.com
The Frederick News published a profile feature on our very own Robin Kaye. “Mount Airy romance novelist creates sparks with first book.” Read the full story.
The first review for Robin’s TOO HOT TO HANDLE is in: “…Wonderful from beginning to end…” www.robinkayewrites.com
Ann LaBar met with an editor from HQN at the October 2008 NJRW’s Put Your Heart in a Book Conference, and on her first ever pitch had a request for the full! www.annlabarrussek.com
LOGAN’S REDEMPTION by Cara Marsi received a 4-star review from The Romance Studio. This is the book’s 6th review. www.caramarsi.com
Kate Welsh reports that her newest historical, QUESTIONS OF HONOR, received billing on the eharlequin site!!
Ruth Zavitsanos just received a contract for her children’s book The Villa Dog. www.ruthzonline.com
January 2009
Adele Dubois has signed with agent Marsha Philitas at the Lori Perkins Agency.
Adele was also thrilled to learn that DESERT FEVER is a Night Owl Romance Reviews TOP PICK!
http://www.nightowlromance.com/nightowlromance/reviews/Review.asp?ReviewId=2767
The NCIS newsletter has picked up Adele’s blog and provided a link with the kind message: “Romance writer Adele Dubois has posted Mark Harmon as her CLASSIC HUNK. It would be nice if the NCIS crowd would support her.”
http://community.livejournal.com/ncis_newsletter/
Stephanie Julian’s fifth story from Ellora’s Cave, SEDUCED BY CHAOS, will be out early next year. This is Teo’s story, the last de Feo brother. Learn more at www.stephaniejulian.com.
Miriam Newman’s September 18, 2008, release, THE KING’S DAUGHTER is a recommended read at All Romance EBooks.
Coffee Time Romance gave Miriam’s CONFESSIONS OF THE CLEANING LADY four cups. The link for the review is:
http://coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/Confessionsofacleaninglady.html
DCL will release Miriam’s novella STUPID CUPID on Feb. 1, right in time for Valentine’s Day. Written for the holiday, it features the band of Irish faeries introduced in CONFESSIONS OF THE CLEANING LADY.
Robin Kaye was delighted to discover that ROMEO, ROMEO received 4-stars in January’s Romantic Times!
Here’s the link~ http://www.romantictimes.com/ratings/RTBOOKreviewsRatingsJan2009.pdf
Myliftime.com has named ROMEO, ROMEO 2008 YEAR’S BEST CONTEMPORARY ItROM
http://www.mylifetime.com/lifestyle/entertainment/romance-buy-the-book/blog/bestromance-reads-2008?cmpid=Email-Romance-2008-12-11
In October 2008, Carla Kempert’s manuscript RELEASE POINT came in second in the NJRW Put Your Heart in a Book contest. Good news, but she says, “Even better than that were the cheers from the huge VFRW crowd in attendance. If there had been an applause-o-meter, you guys would’ve knocked it over. Even though I didn’t win, I felt like I did after hearing all that. Thanks!!”
Kate Welsh has sold her second historical to Harlequin London.
Congratulations to our 2008 Susan Wiggs Award winner for service to the chapter: Laura Graham Booth.