No Matter the Hour...I'm a "Sleepy Head"

One of my favorite shots of Mison as Ichabod Crane...
*swoon!*

Okay...I'll admit it, I'm captivated by Tom Mison! I love, love, love his portrayal of Ichabod Crane on the new TV show "Sleepy Hollow," but the thing I'm most mesmerized by is that I'd watched him in another role -- over 3 hours worth, when he played Mr. Bingley in "Lost in Austen" -- and I didn't recognize him as Crane until after I'd read his actor bio.

THAT is amazing acting! And stellar costume design. And terrific hair & makeup. But so much of the credit for the transformation has to remain with Mison himself. And, if truth be told, with the writers who've given him some pretty great dialogue worthy of that sexy British accent :). 

Mison as the affable Mr. Bingley.

I wrote about this on Facebook, but one of my favorite lines of dialogue from ANY television show this season so far was in the pilot episode of "Sleepy Hollow" when Abbie Mills, the police lieutenant, says to Crane, "I told you to stay in the car."

And, because he's been dealing with a police force that thinks he's crazy (not surprising, given his claims that he just awakened 250 years into the future because his wife saved him from certain death by putting a witch's curse on him that tied his life to that of the Headless Horseman...yeah, just go with it...), Crane replies, "As you know, I'm insane and, therefore, impervious to simple commands."

So. Brilliantly. Written. And. Delivered!

Anyway, I could keep gushing, but I'll stop here. Anyone else watch the "Sleepy Hollow" on Monday nights? (If so, then you're considered one of the "Sleepy Heads," too, LOL.) Anyone else see Mison in "Lost in Austen" from a few years back? Any other fall programs you're hooked on -- new or otherwise? I'd love to hear about them!

Her Accidental Boyfriend by Robin Bielman is Out Today!

It's always so exciting to share the release of a friend's new book, and that's absolutely true in Robin Bielman's case! Congrats, Robin, on the release of HER ACCIDENTAL BOYFRIEND!

About the book:

Faking it with this flirt never felt so real...

Kagan Owens has a secret. One she thought she'd escaped by leaving New York, but when her past follows her to her temporary new life, Kagan lets a teeny lie slip. And now the town's biggest playboy and flirt, Shane Sullivan, has become her pretend boyfriend--just until she's ready to return to NYC. But the handsome, fun-loving Shane makes it tough to determine where their friendly agreement begins and ends...

Shane has no intention of settling down--in fact, his job depends on it, and nothing's more important than his work. Still, he can't help but agree to Kagan's scheme, if only to find out more about the mysterious beauty. But when every touch from her sets his heart and body on fire, he realizes playing an accidental boyfriend may be more than he bargained for--and more than he can give.

About the author:

Robin Bielman lives in Southern California with her high school sweetheart husband, two sons, and crazy-cute mini Labradoodle, Harry (named after Harry Dresden from Jim Butcher's Dresden Files books). When not attached to her laptop, she can almost always be found with her nose in a book. She also likes to run, hike, and dip her toes in the ocean. Filled with wanderlust, she longs to visit many different places and fulfill her curiosity. She wouldn’t mind indulging her sweet tooth in every location either. She’s a lover of Post-it notes, cable television shows and café mochas. Writing is a dream come true, and she still pinches herself to be sure it’s real.

Her other novels include Kissing the Maid of Honor, Worth the Risk, Risky Surrender and Yours At Midnight. She loves to connect with readers. Learn more and sign up for her newsletter on her website at http://robinbielman.com. She can also be found online here:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/RobinBielmanWriter

Twitter: http://twitter.com/RobinBielman

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/robinbielman   

Find Robin’s latest release, Her Accidental Boyfriend, online at:

Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

And there's a VERY COOL giveaway, too!

In Her Accidental Boyfriend Kagan designs jewelry similar to this beautiful pink pearl double wrap bracelet that is up for grabs.

Check it out here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**And I also wanted to give a shout out to our friend Edie Ramer on the release of her newest novel this month, CHRISTMAS AT ANGEL LAKE!!

About the Book: 

A kitten saved her…

Broke, pregnant and deserted by her boyfriend, Maddie Barrymore swerves to avoid a kitten while driving in a Wisconsin blizzard—and her life takes another turn. Like Puss in Boots, she stays in an empty house. She has the baby, the kitten, gets a job and a degree…yet every day she’s ready to flee if the real owner shows up.

Five years later, he does…

Dumped by the woman he loves, film producer Logan MacLeesh’s heart is as dark as one of his movies. He plans to hole up in his grandmother’s old mansion and throw himself into his work…until he discovers the sexy squatter and her four-year-old son. Before he can call the sheriff, Maddie’s tale of how she ended up there entertains him. They make a deal that as long as she tells him a story every night, she and her son can stay. Even the cat, though Logan’s always been a dog person.

A dog in need of saving…

Far away in another state, a homeless dog lifts his head, sniffs…and smells him. The human who’s meant for him. As he heads through the snow toward the scent, his journey seems impossible, even though it’s Christmas, a time when miracles happen.

Get your copy at:

• Amazon
• All Romance Ebooks
• Barnes&Noble
• Kobo
• Smashwords

CONGRATS, ladies!!! I'm so thrilled for you both!! :)

Release Day for THE ROAD TO YOU!!!

It's here!! Finally, finally...The Road to You is making its way into the world! It's available right now on Kindle, Nook and Smashwords in the digital realm (coming soon to Apple/iTunes, Kobo, Sony and more), and it can also be purchased in paperback from Amazon, Half.com and AbeBooks (soon to be at B&N, IndieBound and others as well). Check out the novel's Goodreads page for story details and early reviews.

**Throwing confetti in the air in celebration!**

In fun other news, as many of you know, my husband, son and I traveled to Minneapolis, MN for the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) last week, and we had a blast. The ladies of Jane Austen Books -- who sold copies of my two Austen-inspired titles, According to Jane and Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Match -- were as gracious and helpful as always. And my husband and I loved browsing through the books they had available in the Emporium, as well as the other crafts and Regency delights for sale. (Yes, I did buy something called "Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice Trivia Game"...who wants to play??)

Me (in my "I randomly quote Jane Austen" t-shirt) & my husband Jeff

I had the pleasure of seeing lots of the Austen Authors in person, too. We had a special dinner one night, which was a loud and fun-filled occasion!

From L to R: Karen Doornebos, Jack Caldwell, Susan Mason-Milks, Maria Grace,
C Allyn Pierson, Sharon Lathan, me, Syrie James, Shannon Winslow & Abigail Reynolds

This musically designed building was across the street from our hotel. I never could figure out why, exactly, these notes were on one side (or what the song was), but I thought it looked really cool regardless...

Another interesting thing that I got to do while at the AGM was to go on a tour of the Elmer L. Andersen Library, which has a really impressive collection of Sherlock Holmes books and memorabilia!!

And a fascinating presentation that all of the JASNA members got to hear was about the YouTube sensation "The Lizzie Bennet Diaries" -- thanks to a panel discussion with one of its creators, Bernie Su, along with a producer of the series (Jenni Powell) and a writer for it (Kate Noble/Rorick) as well. It was a hoot to listen to them, and now I'm hooked on the show...

I've got a bunch of dancing and dining pictures up on my Facebook page, if anyone wants to see more, but the AGM was definitely an exciting way to end September. And, now...October has begun!! Wishing you all a wonderful month ahead :).

Goodreads Giveaway!

I've had better Fridays... I'm congested, feverish, a little headachy and basically still in my pajamas, even though it's late afternoon. So, yes, I'm definitely moping around and feeling sorry for myself for managing to catch a cold (for no discernible reason!) on this last weekend of summer/first weekend of autumn. But I'm sure it will pass quickly -- well, I hope it will, lol -- and that I'll be germ-free again before the big JASNA conference starts next Thursday. I'm looking forward to the AGM and to seeing my Austen friends once more!

Until then, I do have one bit of fun news to share: There's a Goodreads Giveaway in progress right now for 5 signed trade paperback copies of The Road to You!! If you're a member of the GR site, I hope you'll enter!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Road to You

by Marilyn Brant

Giveaway ends October 02, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

And, yes, the print copies of the novel have just become available (whoo-hoo!), and the digital versions will be ready soon.

For anyone who may be interested in being an advanced reader for this story, I'm doing a review tour from Oct. 3rd - Dec. 3rd through AToMR Book Tours, and there's a sign-up page here for my novel: http://atomrbookblogtours.com/2013/09/19/review-opportunity-the-road-to-you/ .  I can't tell you how thrilled I am that I finally will get to share this book with you all... I truly hope it's a story you all will enjoy!

Have a good weekend and a happy Autumnal Equinox, everyone, and please stay healthy!! ;)

USA Today Bestseller List!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last week's special book sale for The Sweet Temptations Collection was really exciting -- not only because my 3-book boxed set reached #9 on Kindle and #1 on Nook (!!!), but because the response from readers was so wonderful. I ended up being able to extend the discount for an additional few days to give those readers who found out about the sale later in the week a chance to pick it up during the long Labor Day Weekend. I truly hope that all who were interested grabbed a copy!

However, for anybody who may have missed it or for those who might like to get the set as a gift for someone they know who enjoys light romantic comedy, the price of the collection will be discounted to $5.99 (regular price is $8.99) during the month of September on both Amazon and B&N. My characters -- Elizabeth & Rob (On Any Given Sundae), Cait & Garrett (Double Dipping), and Shannon & Bram (Holiday Man) -- hope to make your acquaintance, and I can't thank you enough for ALL of your enthusiasm and support.

The icing on the cake for me was that I just found out this afternoon that the boxed set hit #89 on the USA Today Bestseller List!!! It's really and truly a dream come true, and there are no words to express the thrill of it. Just...THANK YOU!!

The Sweet Temptations Collection: Only $0.99 Through Thursday!!

Oh, my friends...I've got some very exciting news!!

My 3-book boxed set of romantic comedies, The Sweet Temptations Collection -- which includes the novels On Any Given Sundae, Double Dipping and Holiday Man -- is on sale for just a few days this week for only $0.99 (reg. price $8.99)!! It's discounted on both Amazon Kindle (worldwide) and B&N Nook, but just through Thursday the 29th, so please spread the word. And, if you don't have one or more of these three novels yet, I hope you'll consider adding this boxed set to your ebook collection or giving it as a gift to a romance-loving friend!

In other great news this week, my friend Robin Bielman has a brand new release!! Risky Surrender is the second story in her "Risk It" series from Entangled Books.

Here's a little more about it:

Archeologist Lucy Davenport made a promise to retrieve an elusive piece of history buried in the walls of an iconic Indian village. But when she draws unwanted attention that interferes with her plans, she’s forced to risk it all with a man who threatens not only her goal, but the walls she’s carefully constructed around her heart.

Keats McCall is an environmental preservationist navigating the globe on behalf of heritage protection. When he catches Lucy at his latest project, he suspects she’s up to something. She’s secretive, sexy as hell – and has trouble written all over her. He devises a plan to keep her close so he can keep an eye on her. But what he isn’t prepared for is just how close he wants to get.

Definitely check it out!! The story is available for only $1.99 at Amazon, B&N and Apple/iTunes!! Congrats, Robin :).

Wishing you all a wonderful week...and to help you stay cool ('cuz it's been broiling here!), this is a link to a thirst-quenching recipe for Electric Lemonade. Be forewarned, there's vodka in it -- but, in reading the rest of the ingredients, I think it would taste pretty refreshing even without that added kick. Enjoy!!

Upcoming Book Cover Reveal & Happy Left Hander's Day!

I don't know how it managed to be the middle of August already, but when I flipped the calendar to this week and realized that -- for my son, at least, the school year was beginning -- I couldn't deny that little pang telling me summer was nearing its end.

Not that I'm unhappy about that, mind you! As much as I love the joys of long hours of daylight, the absence of snow/hail/frost, the time spent with my husband and son while they're on their vacations...I'm looking forward to this fall BIG TIME!! There are so many events coming up in the next couple of months that I feel like a little kid right before the holidays. So many treats and presents! (Of both the edible & non-edible varieties. ;) So many fun gatherings! (When, exactly, am I going to get any sleep?!) So many occasions ahead for celebration...it's a little overwhelming, actually.

In just a few weeks -- on Friday, September 6th -- there will be the cover reveal day for THE ROAD TO YOU! And, if you have a blog and are at all interested in being a part of it, you're more than welcome to join in (there's a sign-up at Xpresso Book Tours HERE for anyone who'd like to participate). The book itself will be available in early October (planned release date is 10-3-13), and I'm naturally thrilled about that! I spent three years writing this novel -- my first coming-of-age romantic mystery for older teens through adults -- and I can't wait to finally get to share it with you all.

Before that, though, the annual general meeting (AGM) of the Jane Austen Society of North America will be coming up at the end of September!! I'm now a lifetime member of the organization, and it's going to be such fun to get to take part in this wonderful conference as a published author for the first time. I've been to two prior AGMs -- in Milwaukee 2005 and Chicago 2008 -- but this time I get to visit Minneapolis, sign my books at their author event and meet in person several members of the Austen community that I've gotten to know online. We'll be talking about Mr. Darcy and the P&P gang nonstop!! (How could that not be a blast?!) It's my kind of conversation for sure :).

Just a few weeks later, on October 18th, I'll have the honor of speaking at the annual Illinois Association of Teachers of English conference in Normal, IL as their 2013 Author of the Year. So, truly, this is an autumn season that's already packed with exciting things!

However, I know I'm not the only one busy with upcoming plans and events... What are you doing? Any special end-of-summer activities on your agenda? Looking into September or October, do you have anything ahead that you're particularly looking forward to seeing or doing?

On a totally different note, today is "Left Hander's Day." So, in honor of the many Lefties out there -- including my son, who just started high school yesterday (OMG...) -- I wanted to wish you and all of the Loveable Lefties in your life a wonderful one!