romance novels -

Hey Everyone!

Just letting you know TREMOR, the next installment in the Infectious Rhythm Ballroom Romance series, is now out! This one focuses on Arabelle, whom readers of the other books in the series will recognize as Sasha’s former dance partner, and a theater dancer she meets in Las Vegas, Jett.

Here is the back cover description:

After losing her husband and dance partner to a motorcycle accident, ballroom showdance champion Arabelle has developed a hand tremor, making it impossible to perform the beautiful balletic feats she is known for. In her devastation, she’s lost her love of dance anyway. But when she meets Jett, a theatrical dancer specializing in daredevil aerial stunts, Arabelle feels a double tremor – one producing trepidation, the other pulsing excitement, as he evokes the bad boy ways of her husband that had so enthralled her but had also resulted in his tragedy. Can Jett help Arabelle overcome the pain of her loss, cure her trembling body, and reinvigorate her passion for dance and life? And can Arabelle tame Jett’s reckless ways before they result in his own misfortune?

I’ve put this one in the Kindle Unlimited program, so if you’re a member, you can read it for free! Otherwise, it’s $2.99, as are the others in the series.

Happy reading, everyone 🙂 And, again, thank you so much for your support! It’s been a while since I last published since I’ve had a lot happening in my life (more on that later), so I really appreciate you sticking with me!

Last night marked the grand opening of The Ripped Bodice, the first brick and mortar bookstore in the U.S. to sell exclusively romance novels! So of course a couple bookish friends and I went down to Culver City for the festivities.

It’s a really lovely space, right on Main Street, with a very cozy, female-centric vibe. It was founded by sisters Bea and Leah Koch, which they backed by their kickass Kickstarter campaign, through which they raised over $90k. I love their mission statement, which hangs on the wall right when you walk in:

The store is fairly large and beautifully designed with lots of cozy chairs and couches and reading nooks. There’s a nice little reading space in the back that has outlets where you can connect to mobile devices. They have sections devoted to every romance sub-genre (that I know of anyway), including sports romances, which was close to the food bar so I got a good look at that area! They also have some mainstream women’s fiction (like Jennifer Weiner) and literary novels. I saw some self-published books as well as books put out by big and small presses. They even had a Spanish language section. Lots of Sylvia Day, Eloisa James, Courtney Milan, Shayla Black, Tessa Dare, Kate Perry, Katy Evans, Tiffany Reisz, etc. etc. – too many authors to mention. And a whole table devoted to Nora 🙂

I didn’t see (but could have just missed; it was so crowded!) a section devoted to local authors. I just like those; they’re always the place I find authors new to me, like the wonderful Betty Webb, who I found at The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, AZ.

They had a large cardboard statue of Fabio at the front to greet people 🙂 Here I am with him and my friend, writer Tiffany Current:

The founders have said they hope to have lots of signings and readings and book launch parties, as well as lectures and panel discussions centering on “issues currently at play in the genre.” And, they plan to have a book club and do screenings of romance-related TV shows and movies. All sounds fabulous to me! And they have seem to have a large enough place for all of that.

In addition to books, they have some artwork for sale, jewelry, demitasse teacups, tea towels, candles, picture frames, etc. But there are mostly books 🙂

Here are some more pics:

This evening, they’re having their first series of tea-time readings, by Tessa Dare, Rebekah Weatherspoon, and Francesca Lia Block, followed by jazz and champagne. Visit their website for more info.

Thank you to my fabulous friend, the literary publicist extraordinaire, Liz Donatelli, for inviting me 🙂 Always so exciting when a new bookstore opens, right!

Tag: romance novels

TREMOR is out!

THE RIPPED BODICE Bookstore Opens in LA!