Eleni-fest: Even more Special Guests and my little tour

Ellora's Cave author Mel Teshco will be joining me on the 12th October. Mel is giving away a choice of either a copy of  Stone Cold Lover OR a critique of your first chapter. Thanks Mel!













Rachel Bailey, multi-tasking extraordinaire and my Hearts Talk editor as well as a Silhouette Desire author, will be joining me on the 28th October. Rachel will be giving away her debut release Claiming his Pregnant Bride, which is due out in the US in January, so you'll have to wait a little for that one. I don't think anyone would mind waiting. Thanks Rachel!






I'll also be making appearances on the:
Bootcampers 101 blog - 4th
Romance Writers of Australia's blog - 14th
Bootcampers 109 blog - 18th
SARA (South Australian Romance Authors) site - 25th
Sandie Hudson's blog - 30th.


It's going to be a very busy but exhilarating month!!

~yia~

Christina Phillips now a Berkley Babe!!

Absolute fantastic news for my fellow BSG loving buddy Christina Phillips today.

Her agent sold her 'Roman' in a two book deal to Berkley Heat! How exciting is that.  The books are due out in 2011.

Go Christina!

Here's the blurb from Publisher's Marketplace:

Christina Phillips's HIS FORBIDDEN PRINCESS, in which a Roman centurion leads an invasion into Cambria, and the druid princess who both defies and enthralls him, to Kate Seaver at BerkleyHeat, in a two-book deal, by Emmanuelle Alspaugh at Judith Ehrlich Literary Management. Christina has had two short erotic romances with paranormal elements published by The Wild Rose Press. And those stories are very hawwt and a damn fine read. So I have no doubt her Roman books will be wonderful. Congrats on becoming a Berkley Babe Christina!! Oh and check out Christina's blog to congratulate her. It really has made my day and our writing community is coming out in droves to congratulate this talented and lovely lady. ~yia~

Eleni-fest: Sightings and Spreading the Word

I'm sponsoring the RWAustralia website from now until the end of October, with an Eleni-fest ad.

Also I'm in the Cruisin' the Blogs news and Member's News for this week on the RWAustralia blog.

Check these two sites out. They are fantastic (says she who is part of the Web team *wink* - seriously, great resources).

Also the following people have 'pimped' my blog:

Anna Hackett
Mel Teshco
Tracey O'hara
Christina Phillips

Thanks ladies. And remember for your chance to enter the Spreading the Word competition, to send an email to eleni-fest@elenikonstantine.com with where you have Spread the Word. Check out this post or my website for details.

~yia!!

Eleni-fest: More Special Guests on Eleni's Taverna & Correction...

More Special Guests to add to our line up during October.

10th - Nocturne Bites author Anna Hackett joins us. Her latest release Taken By the South Wind, which is Book 2 in the Windkeepers series is out in October. A copy will be the prize for one lucky commentator.  Thanks Anna!

26th - Trish Morey, Harlequin Presents author, SARA member and winner of the R*BY for Short Sexy and the Honourable Lifetime Membership recipient for the this year. Up for grabs will be a copy of the The Best Love Stories of 2009, which includes six of the R*BY finalist books in one big volume! Thanks Trish!

And also oops on my part, The book give away from Anna Campbell is Tempt the Devil, not Captive of  Sin. My apologies for the mix up. But fantastic book still up for grabs thanks to Anna!


Thanks to all the lovely ladies for joining Eleni-fest.



Can you tell I'm excited?!! No?

Please join me for Eleni-fest!! Coming soon to you!!!


~yia

Eleni-fest: Special Guests on Eleni's Taverna

Oh this fest is turning out to be so exciting. I have just confirmed three Special Guests during October on Eleni's Taverna. I'll announce them by date order.

7th October - Anna Campbell - Regency Noir author.  Her latest book Captive of Sin is due out 27th October. Come along and comment for your chance to win a copy. Thanks Anna!

Addendum:  Apologies: an error by me - book give away is actually Tempt the Devil!

15th October - Tracey O'hara - Dark Urban Fantasy author. Her debut book Night's Cold Kiss is a prize on my website during Eleni-fest, so go there for your chance to win a copy of her book. But come along to the blog and chat with Tracey. Thanks Tracey!

20th October - Erica Hayes - Urban Fantasy author. Her debut book Shadowfae is being released on the 13th October. Come along and comment for your chance to win a copy. Thanks Erica!



See I told you it was exciting!!!! Mark those dates in your diary!!!!

~yia

Eleni-fest: Spreading the Word competition

Place the below icon on your blog or website from now until end October for your chance to win a trade book-cover.  (Hint: right click on image and SAVE AS....)

Email me at  eleni-fest@elenikonstantine.com

with Spreading the Word in the subject line and the details of where you have displayed the image.

Good luck!!

This information is taken from my website.

Round up

Check out the September videos for book trailers here. But vote for Tracey O'hara's Night's Cold Kiss!!! Honestly, hers is brilliant. Music, atmosphere, blurbs...just great.

Been preparing for Eleni-fest! Aha, that's right - it's all about me!! *grin* Seriously, those who follow me via email or rss feeds, for your chance to win some goodies, be prepared to make comments on the actual blog.

We love YA blog has a giveaway of the four Vampire Academy books out now. Check it out here.

Just watched Revolutionary Road with Kate Winslett and Leonardo DiCaprio - what an intense and powerful film. A thinker...so those who only want action, this isn't for you. Though if you do like action with romance thrown in, watched Fool's Gold last night with Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey. Some really funny bits. What I needed. As was watching season 2 of 30 Rock last week - hilarious!!! And yes, even though I'm busy I've taken time out because 1) I need down time and 2) I need to return them back to the library. Nothing like due dates to get things done!

FreeRice is an interactive site where two things are accomplished - you extend your vocabulary and for every right answer you get, donations of 10 grains of rice are organised through the UN Food Program.

Oh and check out this really cool, Youtube on Steampunk duel! How cool! (source: SciFiGuy.ca)





~yia

Coming Soon...Eleni-fest!!

Bootcampers 101 website

Please visit our Bootcampers 101 website....

~yia

Time, time, time

I've been finding lately that time has been slipping through my fingers. I'm getting alot of writing related things done but then am falling behind in other parts of my life. Yes, the good old balance.

Lately I have been more tired and headachy, so am trying to come up with the best way to balance for me. I know I read a lot of blogs and love to comment on everyone's blog that I know, but realistically I can't do that all the time. At least I don't visit every site, I do use Google Reader to streamline. I'm also using TweetDeck for my Twitter and have to reevaluate people who I find interesting to follow but not as relevant to me and my writing.

Anyone say information overload?

Yep, there is that. I love information don't get me wrong. Heck, I wouldn't have worked in libraries for many years if I didn't. Because libraries are about information. But there is just so much out there.

I do like reading about how the publishing industry is going and it helps with the collation of my column in Hearts Talk massively. So I need to balance time on blogs with the information gained from there to give RWAus members the best info out there.

But writing isn't the only aspect in my life - there's family, friends, study, and other assorted things that I am aware that I don't spend as much time on being so exhausted. And CFS doesn't help - that needs to be looked after too - that way things don't overwhelm me.

So if you see that I don't come around the blogs as much as I have been, sorry. But I'll try to visit in my alloted times :))

Be well everyone. Happy reading and writing!!

~Yia

Books by writing buddies.... Amanda Ashby

I've just finished reading 'Zombie Queen of Newbury High' by Amanda Ashby and absolutely loved it. A fun read with references to Buffy and Angel, how could this YA story go wrong. It's about a girl Mia who accidently turns her senior class into zombies and her quest to turn them back.

Thanks for the great read Amanda.



"Quiet, unpopular, non-cheerleading Mia is blissfully happy. Rob-super hot football god-has asked her to prom! Life couldn’t get any better. Enter Samantha -cheerleader queen and Miss Popularity-who has made it quite clear that Rob should be her prom date. Mia is desperate to make sure she doesn’t end up dumped in front of the whole school. So with prom in just a few days, she turns to Candice-her holistic, hypochondriac best friend-and decides to try a love spell to make Rob stay with her. Unfortunately, she ends up inflicting a zombie virus on her whole class instead, and she is their zombie leader! At first she loves all the attention. But when she learns from zombie hunter hottie Chase that her classmates will actually try to eat her in a few days, she’s not too thrilled. She’s sure she and Chase can figure something out, but in the meantime, she’s suggesting that no one wear white to prom, because things could get verymessy." from Amanda's website.




Yia!

Zombie movie - SPOILERS

My writing pal, Tracey O'hara had a post a little while back of her top 5 zombie movies. At the top spot she had the movie called Zombie Strippers, which I haven't heard of before. I saw the Youtube trailer and thought, yep, agreed with Tracey that it's "so wrong, it's right."

I finally got to watch it on Showtime tonight. Actually for me it's just sooo bad, it made me laugh. Full of all the cliches, overexagerated acting, and lots of gorey looking makeup, this one is for true D grade horror film fans. You know the ones that don't scare you as much as make you go ewww and laugh that are rated MA.

And it seemed to go on and on, and it's only a short film. I mean how many times can you watch a strip dance - well with Zombie Strippers, you guessed it, alot!! Oh and there was the 'virus experiments' angle, the 'military cleanup', the 'jealous co-workers', 'the innocent teen doing this for her Nana'.

Check out the trailer below...




You tube


Yia!

Next Reward Book

I've chosen Anne Gracie's 'The Stolen Princess' as the next reward book. It has been waiting ever so patiently since the Roadshow last year.

Anne won the R*BY award at this year's Romance Writers of Australia conference for the long category for this book, and having read Anne's books in the past, I know it's going to be a great read.

Hence a perfect book to make my reward book. Have to work to read each chapter.

~Yia

Books by writing buddies.... Denise Rossetti

Wow, just finished Denise Rossetti's The Flame and The Shadow as my reward book. It is hawwwt (ie for those over 18) and has the most remarkable language and world-building. Book 1 of the Four-Sided Pentacle series, with Book 2 Thief of Light coming out in November. On my keeper pile!!


Here's the blurb:

There cannot be one...without the other.
   Some are drawn to the light. Some are drawn to the dark. Some desire both.

   Grayson of Concordia, known on countless worlds as the Duke of Ombra, is a mercenary, a sorcerer of shadows whose soul is consumed by darkness. For Gray, the savagery in his heart is manifest in an entity he calls Shad. He has long resisted Shad's enticements, but when he's hired to kidnap a grieving fire witch, he seizes the chance to restore his soul—no matter the cost.
   Devastated by a shattering loss, Cenda's fiery heart has turned to ash. Doggedly, she has worked to master her powers and go on living, knowing she can never be whole again. When she encounters Gray, though, her will is no match for the dark fascination he exerts. But Cenda's newfound love and passion may not survive the terrible discovery of his betrayal...

Now to select the next reward book....

~Yia

Art on website

More art used on my website.


The latest addition below, the cauldron...

And the Centaur used in the banner.


Yia...back to work

Books by writing buddies.... Trish Morey and Anne Oliver

Two lovely ladies and members of SARA have releases this month.

Trish Morey with The Ruthless Greek's Virgin Princess

Thirteen years ago Yannis Markides threw a young princess out of his bed. Even now Marietta's cheeks burn in shame as she remembers her youthful attempt at seduction.

Evicting the scantily clad Marietta was the brooding Greek's last act of chivalry. The ensuing scandal destroyed his life and broke his family. Now he's rebuilt his empire, recovered the Markides name... and he's ready to make the Princess pay!

Marietta owes him a debt. Her virginity is her price...

Anne Oliver with Memoirs of a Millionaire's Mistress

Cameron Black is everything that quirky artist Didi O'Flanagan loathes in a man. But when Cam offers her the commission of a lifetime Didi can't refuse. Soon they are sharing hot nights in Cam's luxury penthouse, and the chemistry is electric. Didi's starting to wondering whether she'll ever be able to give up her position as millionaire's mistress...

Round up....

I've added to the SARA conference pics, so go check them out here.

Being part of the RWAus web team, I twitter on occasion. Check the RWAus twitter here.
And our blog team ladies have done a fantastic job with blog, which you can see here.

If you like Dark Urban Fantasy, you can check out Keri Arthur's first Riley Jensen Guardian series, on the Random House Suduvu site.

I've been working on a detailed synopsis and I've realised how much I love these characters. Life however has gotten in the way abit this week, though, sapping some of my energy, but still I feel like overall I'm still on course.

Currently reading: How to Date a Millionaire by Allison Rushby (YA)
Just finished: Savage Dragon by Anna Hackett (Nocturne Bites)
DVD series watching: Gene Rodenberry's Andromeda, series 3
Waiting to watch: Australia


Yia!

Never to young to Rock'n'Roll

I saw this today at my local Kmart  - what a scream - I had to take a photo of it with my not so great mobile phone camera so it's fuzzy.


These were size 00s, but they had 0000 as well. Can you imagine a little baby doing the 'rock' gesture with their little hand? Rock on kid!

If you can't read it, it says AC/DC Rocks and I Roll.

Oh if only it had been around when I was shopping for family. Drat! 


Yia

Books by writing buddies.... Anna Hackett

What timing - Anna is running a promo on her blog to promote her book below & it's time for another of my Books by writing buddies. Actually it will be two fold, the one below linking to Anna's site and under that her debut release, Savage Dragon, which I'm currently reading...

WIND KISSED, FIRE BOUND by Anna Hackett

As Keeper of the Winds, Livia Cavalli needed to focus her power on keeping the evil Tempest Winds trapped in their island prison. What she doesn't need is to be distracted by sexy horse trainer Rafe Donovan. Three hundred years ago, Livia became an immortal Keeper to numb her emotions, but Rafe arouses her in a way she hasn't felt for centuries.
For Rafe, Livia is a challenge he longs to solve--and take to bed. Once she's in his arms, their desire is overwhelming. But when his own powers reveal Livia's secret pain, he realizes taking her body isn't enough--he wants to heal her soul, too...
WIND KISSED, FIRE BOUND is now available at eharlequin.com and all major online booksellers.
Watch out for the next story in the WindKeepers series, TAKEN BY THE SOUTH WIND, out in October.

www.annahackettbooks.com

SAVAGE DRAGON

They call him the Savage Dragon: Rordan Sarkany, knight of the Order of the Dragon, charged with tracking and destroying those who let their dragon blood turn them into beasts. In the wilds of Hungary, Rordan hunts one such creature—along with fellow warrior Kira Bethlen.

Both Rordan and his inner dragon desire Kira...and she can't resist Rordan's dangerous allure. But even if she succumbs to their attraction, can she ever forgive him for slaying her beloved brother?

This is still available from eharlequin. 

Both have great covers don't they.


Go Anna!

Updating website

I only meant to take a short time on updating my website. Just add a couple of things here and there, but before I knew it I was changing the whole colour scheme. Gone are the purples and blues to be replaced by greens and oranges.

Let me know what you think.

elenikonstantine.com

yia... yawn!