The exciting news today is that my manuscript, Seducing Charlotte – a Regency romance set against the backdrop of the dawning Industrial Revolution – has made it into the second round of Brava Kensington’s Writing With the Stars contest. A big thank you to all who voted for my entry. I could not have done it without you!

If you’re new to the blog, here’s the deal. Late last summer, Kensington Editors Alicia Condon and Megan Records selected 10 finalists for the competition. The grand prize is every unpublished writer’s dream: a publishing contract!

But, first, that person has to make it through five rounds of competition. Two finalists were eliminated after the first round, in which readers of RT Book Reviews voted online for their favorite First Paragraph and Last Sentence.

Round Two begins today!

This time the category is Best Hero and Heroine in 150 words or less – no easy task. We were assigned mentors for this contest. I lucked out with Mary Wine, author of books such as To Conquer a Highlander and Highland Hellcat,  who helped me refine my descriptions to really make them shine.

Check it out for yourself and see what you think. CLICK HERE to read all of the entries. I hope you will consider voting for me! It is very quick. You can click in, vote and be done in under a minute.

I appreciate your support! 

Wondering about the future role of ebooks in the marketplace? Well,   Harlequin just announced that it’s digital sales jumped 70 percent in the first nine months of 2010. 

At the same time, according to parent company Torstar, Harlequin also experienced weaker U.S. retail sales in the period between April and June of this year. The company does not break its digital sales down by region so there’s no telling how much of their ebook action came from U.S. readers. 

Along with ebook sales, Harlequin’s direct sales to consumers as well as its overseas business increased. Overall, its book publishing revenues rose $1.4 million in the third quarter – the period between April 1 and June 30, 2010.

However, Torstar said it expects sales for the entire year to be down compared to 2009, because of diminished U.S. retail sales.

The news comes as Harlequin prepares to shelve its Silhouette and Steeple Hill imprints. The series will now be called Harlequin. Otherwise all of the books series will remain the same. The company believes the stronger Harlequin branding will make it easier for consumers to find their products.

A Hellion in Her Bed is my latest read. It’s the second book in Sabrina Jeffries’ current Regency series, The Hellions of Halstead Hall.

Hellion‘s  heroine has the most original occupation I’ve seen in historical romance in quite a while.  Annabel Lake is a brew mistress trying to save her foundering family brewery. Enter gambler Lord Jarret Sharpe, who has agreed to run his own more successful family brewery for a year. Annabel seeks Jarret out because she wants the two breweries to go into business together.

When he balks, she proposes a card game. If she wins, he must help save her family’s business. But if he wins, she must spend a night in his bed. Mmmhmm. Sexy set up. 

Jeffries’ fun and humorous writing style continues to sparkle in this latest book. Annabel is a memorable heroine you can root for. The romance satisfies and the Sharpes continue to be an emotionally-damaged family we care about.

If you’re looking for an entertaining read, check out A Hellion in Her Bed.