| July 3, 2008
Gentle Reader,
I’m close—so close!—to finishing the first draft of the third book in my The Legend of Four Soldiers quartet. It’s titled To Beguile a Beauty and features that mysterious Scot, Sir Alistair Munroe. I’m rather Pleased with how it’s shaping up. Now if I can just finish it!
I have several Exciting Bits of News to Impart this week:
• I have new FAQs up.
• I shall be participating in the annual “Readers for Life” Literacy Autographing at the RWA Conference in San Francisco. Every year Romance Writers of America raises money for local adult literacy programs through their multi-author book signing at the national convention. To date RWA has raised almost a half million dollars! The Literacy Autographing is open to the public—you do not have to be registered at the conference to attend—and will be on July 30, 2008, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the San Francisco Marriott hotel. I hope to see you there!
• I am giving away an autographed copy of The Leopard Prince—which has finaled in the RITA—In my website contest this month.
• Bookmarks for To Seduce a Sinner, my November book, have arrived! Bookmarks are free, so order as many as you’d like. I’ve also posted the first scene from To Seduce a Sinner.
Yours Most Sincerely,
June 20, 2008
Gentle Reader,
Summer has arrived and with it blooms—and weeds—in my garden. I hope that you’ve had time to read To Taste Temptation, but if you haven’t, please check out the excerpt on the Books page. I’ve also posted an interview with the hero of To Taste Temptation, Sam Hartley, on the Extras page, and you’ll also find a new research article on Josiah Wedgwood and Queensware on the Extras page.
Sprechen Sie Deutsch? If you do, take a look at my new German Language Page. The Raven Prince is being released in German this month!
I’m off to battle the weeds in my garden.
Yours Most Sincerely,
May 6, 2008
Gentle Reader,
To Taste Temptation is in stores this month and I’m excited about a number of lovely reviews it’s received. Here’s an excerpt from RomanceNovel.tv:
“With the publication of TO TASTE TEMPTATION, it’s clear that Elizabeth Hoyt is destined to be a star whose brilliance will continue to shine for many years to come.”
I blush!
And to those of you speed readers who have already read To Taste Temptation and are now looking for the next book in The Legend of the Four Soldiers, please check the Books page for a glimpse of To Seduce a Sinner, coming November 2008!
Yours Most Sincerely,
April 23, 2008
Gentle Reader,
Exciting news in the Hoyt Household: The Leopard Prince has finaled in the Historical category of Romance Writers of America’s RITA award. This prompted much celebratory dancing about the house which the Three Untrained Dogs joined in, although in their case they may’ve been under the mistaken impression that they were about to go for a walk.
In other news, To Taste Temptation should be in your local bookstore very soon—if it’s not there already. If you belong to a book club there’s still time to enter my A Good Read and Chocs for All Contest to win an autographed copy of To Taste Temptation for every member of your book club. And in this month’s website contest I’ll be giving away my Prince trilogy: The Raven Prince, The Leopard Prince and The Serpent Prince!
Yours Most Sincerely,
March 1, 2008
Gentle Reader,
It’s conference season again and I’m making travel plans! At the end of March I’ll be in sunny Jacksonville, FL for the Southern Lights Conference, and then the very next weekend I’ll fly to Chandler, AZ for the Desert Dreams Conference. I hope that if you attend these conferences, you’ll stop by and say hello!
There are only two more months until the May release of To Taste Temptation. I’ve posted a second excerpt you may peruse on the Books page. I’ve also had bookmarks made and as always they’re free! Do order a few for yourself and friends.
In Other News, my A Good Read and Chocs for All! Contest is back. If you are a member of a book club be sure and enter to win an autographed copy of To Taste Temptation for every member of your club and a huge box of Godiva chocs to share.
Finally, I’m giving an autographed copy of The Serpent Prince as well as Jade Lee’s Oracle and Burning Tigress this month in my website contest.
Yours Most Sincerely,
January 22, 2008
Gentle Reader,
It’s a beautiful new year and To Taste Temptation has a beautiful new cover! Do take a look and let me know what you think. While you’re there, you can read an excerpt of To Taste Temptation as well.
I have a new website contest up—enter for a chance to win an autographed copy of The Serpent Prince as well as Marliss Melton’s In the Dark and Shari Anton’s Once a Bride.
Yours Most Sincerely,
December 15, 2007
Gentle Reader,
Oh, this is my most favorite time of year! Baking gingerbread cookies, decorating the mantel with greenery and red bows, and even singing Christmas carols. (Mr. Hoyt is a darling man, and he tries, but he’s never met a song he can’t sing off key.) Unfortunately, the weather seems to be disagreeing as it is currently raining outside. Rain? In December? Pish-posh!
But I do have some lovely news to impart. My Very Good Friend, Julia Harper is debuting her book, Hot, at the end of this month. She’s a little nervous poor dear—first book jitters, I think—but I’m sure it will be a great success, even if it is set in the present century and takes place in exotic Wisconsin. Miss Harper is even holding a contest to celebrate Hot being excerpted in a small magazine called COSMOPOLITAN, I think. Perhaps you’ve heard of it, although I’m afraid I hadn’t. Anyway, if you want to do a Good Deed this holiday season, do stop by her website and enter her little contest. It’ll perk her up no end.
Meanwhile, I’ve added a new Odds and Ends to the Extras page which I hope you will find amusing. And as always I have a new Website Contest for December. Enjoy!
Yours Most Sincerely,
November 1, 2007
Gentle Reader,
Apparently it is Football Season. I’m afraid I would never be aware of
this except for the fact that Mr. Hoyt has taken up a semi-permanent position
on the settee in front of the television. Football for Mr. Hoyt involves much
gruff cheering and the consumption of vast amounts of salsa and chips. Alas, I
do not entirely understand Mr. Hoyt’s fascination with the sport, although
I do admit that the skin-tight trousers the athletes wear are quite attractive.
In other news, I’ve posted the first scene in my upcoming book, To
Taste Temptation. I hope you will take a moment to read the passage. To
Taste Temptation will be released in May 2008.
Also, I have a new and fascinating Research Article
on my Extras page. I assure you that I could not
make up history like this if I tried.
Finally, I shall be giving away three autographed books in November’s
Website Contest: my own The
Leopard Prince, Susan
Crandall’s On Blue Falls Pond, and Shari
Anton’s Midnight Magic. Good luck to all!
Yours Most Sincerely,
October 1, 2007
Gentle Reader,
Oh, joy, it’s time to plant fall flower bulbs! Mr. Hoyt is of the opinion
that I sometimes am overly enthusiastic with my fall flower bulb purchases. It
is true that I do usually end up wandering the garden looking for a spare place
to plant the last dozen daffodils, but I do so enjoy the flowers when they emerge
in the spring.
My next book, To Taste Temptation, is scheduled to
be released in May 2008 and we now have a back cover copy. Take a peek
to find out a little of what the book is about!
I’ll be giving away three autographed books in my October website contest:
Paula Quinn’s Lord
of Seduction, Karen Rose’s
I’m Watching You and my own The Leopard
Prince.
Yours Most Sincerely,
September 8, 2007
Gentle Reader,
Fall means apples in the Hoyt Household. Despite the sweltering temperatures,
we’ve already made our first apple-picking outing of the season. We picked
four bags of Golden Delicious apples! They taste so much better freshly picked.
In other news you may have noticed that my third book, The
Serpent Prince, is in stores now! You may read an interview with the hero,
Simon Iddesleigh, on the Extras page and while
there you may want to read about my research into dueling
with swords.
I have a new website Contest up as well—enter
to for a chance to win an autographed copy of The Serpent Prince!
Finally, check out my podcast
interview on AccessRomance!
Yours Most Sincerely,
August 4, 2007
Gentle Reader,
Only a month more until the release of the final book in my Princes trilogy,
The Serpent Prince! In Happy Anticipation I have
several new updates to my website:
• On my Book Clubs page, I’ve posted a Discussion
Guide for The Serpent Prince.
• In my Website Contest this month I’ll
be giving away an autographed copy of all three of my Prince books: The
Raven Prince, The Leopard Prince, and The
Serpent Prince.
• Take a look at Interview With the Rakehell on my Extras
page.
• Booksellers and Librarians may
order bookmarks for their patrons.
• And, of course, everyone else may order bookmarks
for themselves.
• Finally, my A Good Read and Chocs for
All! contest for book clubs has returned. If you belong to a book club affiliated
with a library or bookstore, please enter for a chance to win The
Serpent Prince for every member of your book club plus a giant box
of Godiva chocs to share!
Yours Most Sincerely,
July 1, 2007
Gentle Reader,
Oh, my, it’s Steamy Hot in Central Illinois these days. The Smallest
Untrained Dog is in seventh heaven. She’s rather unfortunately Fur Challenged
and adores heat. Her favorite thing in all the world is to go for car rides in
the summer. But do be assured, Gentle Reader, that I do not leave her in the hot
car alone, no matter how big her eyes get.
I have several Exciting Bits of News to Impart this week:
I shall be participating in the annual “Readers for Life” Literacy
Autographing at the RWA
Conference in Dallas, Texas. Every year Romance Writers of America raises
money for local adult literacy programs through their multi-author book signing
at the national convention. To date RWA has raised almost a half million dollars!
The
Literacy Autographing is open to the public—you do not have to be registered
at the conference to attend—and will be on July 11, 2007, from 5:30-7:30
p.m. in the Hyatt Regency hotel. I hope to see you there!
I am giving away my very last, eagerly anticipated, Advance Reader Copy (ARC)
of The Serpent Prince in my website contest
this month.
Bookmarks for The Serpent Prince
have arrived. I still have bookmarks for The Leopard
Prince and The Raven Prince, so order as many
as you’d like for all three. As always, there is no charge!
Finally, my A Good Read and Chocs for All!
contest for book clubs has returned. If you belong to a book club affiliated with
a library or bookstore, please enter for a chance to win The
Serpent Prince for every member of your book club plus a giant box of Godiva
chocs to share!
Yours Most Sincerely,
June 12, 2007
Gentle Reader,
A while back I did quite a bit of research into dueling with swords for my
third book, The Serpent Prince. Alas, as with
most research, the majority of the Very Interesting Stuff I found could not be
included in the book (not, at least, without Extensive Footnotes, which might’ve
conflicted with my goal of writing a Pleasurable Book to Read.) So, it is with
much joy that I direct the Gentle Reader to the Extras
page where you may find a new entry in the Research Articles entitled, Dueling:
Case Studies of Fatal and Near-Fatal Testosterone Poisoning in the Human Male.
I hope you will find this article educational and possibly astonishing.
I shall make a Personal Appearance this month at the Urbana, Illinois Barnes
and Noble bookstore, on Saturday, June 30 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. I hope there
to sign my books for various Gentle Readers. You may help in this endeavor by
stopping by should you happen to be in central Illinois.
What else? Do check out this month’s contest.
I’m giving away an autographed copy of The Raven
Prince along with Jim
Butcher’s Dead Beat and Shannon
Butcher’s No Regrets.
Yours Most Sincerely,
June 1, 2007
Gentle Reader,
I am Most Pleased to announce that I’ve just signed a four-book contract
with my publisher, Grand Central Publishing, and thus will remain able to afford
Godiva Chocolates on a regular basis—strictly for medicinal purposes only,
of course—for the next several years.
In other News, I’ve posted an excerpt of The
Serpent Prince on the Books page, which I hope
you will find time to peruse. Bookmarks for The
Serpent Prince have also arrived and you may order them—along with
The Raven Prince and The
Leopard Prince bookmarks.
I’ve answered a new Frequently Asked Question on my FAQs
list.
What else? Do check out this month’s contest.
I’m giving away an autographed copy of The Raven Prince along with
Jim Butcher’s
Dead Beat and Shannon
Butcher’s No Regrets.
I’m off to battle the weeds in my garden.
Yours Most Sincerely,
May 5, 2007
Gentle Reader,
Goodness! The last month has been a Whirlwind of Conferences, culminating in
the Romantic Times extravaganza in Houston. There, I met many Lovely Readers,
fought my way through crowds of Divine Male Cover Models Wearing Very Little,
and happily accepted the Reviewer’s Choice award for Best Sensual Historical
Romance of 2006 for The Raven Prince. Tres excitement!
In other news, we’ve posted the cover and back blurb for my third book,
The Serpent Prince, which will be released this
September. I’ve been invited to speak at the 2008 Southern Lights Conference
in Jacksonville, Florida. My May contest is up—I’ll
be giving away both The Raven Prince and an arc of Andrea Pickens’
The Spy Wore Silk. I recently heard that The Raven Prince is
a finalist in the 2007 Golden Quill contest. And finally, I’ll be signing
my books at the Bloomington, Illinois Barnes and Noble on Friday, May 11 starting
at 7:00 p.m. I hope to see you there if you live in the area!
Whew!
Yours Most Sincerely,
April 1, 2007
Gentle Reader,
Huzzah! My second book, The Leopard Prince,
is in stores now! To celebrate I have several updates to my website:
• In my April website contest, I’ll
be giving away autographed copies of both The Raven
Prince and The Leopard Prince.
• If you belong to a book club, please check out my new Discussion
Starters for The Leopard Prince.
• Also for book clubs is my A Good
Read and Chocs for All! contest which will end April 15th. The winning book
club will receive an autographed copy of The Leopard Prince for each
member as well as a huge box of Godiva chocs to share.
• I have a new research article up on the Extras
page entitled, Gin, Hogarth, and the Horrible
Crime of Judith Dufour. A warning: this article is not for the Faint of Heart!
• Also on the Extras page is a new Odds
and Ends.
• And finally on my Biography page I have links
to two interviews I’ve done recently and
a new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that the
Gentle Reader may find amusing.
Yours Most Sincerely,
March 15, 2007
Gentle Reader,
Well, Spring has Sprung and my backyard has turned into a very large Pit of
Mud. I believe the warm weather is mocking me because although it’s nice
enough to muck about in the garden, one can’t for fear of becoming permanently
stuck in the muck.
Despite the mud, there is much Rejoicing in the Hoyt Household due to a Top
Pick! review of The
Leopard Prince from Romantic Times BOOK Reviews. In addition, Harry Pye has
been selected as a K.I.S.S. hero. This is what RT says: “A hero straight
out of a fairy tale, Harry Pye, [from] The Leopard Prince, is Elizabeth Hoyt’s
idea of a man to make you dream of sinning.” Goodness!
In Other News, my A Good Read and Chocs for
All! Contest is back. If you are a member of a book club be sure and enter
to win an autographed copy of The Leopard Prince
for every member of your club and a huge box of Godiva chocs to share.
Finally, I’m giving an autographed advance reader copy (ARC) of The
Leopard Prince this month in my website contest.
It’s collectable, it’s the very last one, and it could be yours! Good
luck!
Yours Most Sincerely,
March 1, 2007
Gentle Reader,
Goodness, this has been an exciting week! I’ve received word that The
Raven Prince was voted Most Luscious Love Story in All About Romance's 11th
annual reader poll, as well as being an Honorable Mention in the Best Buried Treasure
category. This Author was voted Best New Author, a wonderful honor indeed!
The Raven Prince is also a finalist in Southern Magic Romance Writer’s
Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence and has been nominated as Best Sensual Historical
Romance in the Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Awards.
In Other News, my A Good Read and Chocs for All!
Contest is back. If you are a member of a book club be sure and enter to win an
autographed copy of The Leopard Prince for every
member of your club and a huge box of Godiva chocs to share.
Finally, I’m giving an autographed advance reader copy (ARC) of The
Leopard Prince this month in my website contest.
It’s collectable, it’s the very last one, and it could be yours! Good
luck!
Yours Most Sincerely,
February 3, 2007
Gentle Reader,
A Disturbing Turn of Events has happened here in the Hoyt Household. It seems
that Max, the biggest and usually most Self Controlled Canine has become addicted
to butter. Yes, butter. I noticed recently that when I set out butter to soften
on the kitchen counter as per many baking recipes, the stick would mysteriously
disappear. Later, tell-tale scraps of butter wrapper would appear on the floor.
Then one day whilst composing Florid Prose on my computer in the dining room,
out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Max stroll by, an entire stick of butter
in his jaws. The worst part of this Canine Affliction is how lightly Mr. Hoyt
is taking it. I am sad to report that Mr. Hoyt has begun calling Max “Butter
Boy.”
In Other News, my A Good Read and Chocs for All! Contest
is back. If you are a member of a book club be sure and enter to win an autographed
copy of The Leopard Prince for every member of
your club and a huge box of Godiva chocs to share.
I’m giving away two books in February on my website
contest: my own The Raven Prince and Diana
Holquist’s Make Me a Match. Be sure and enter!
Finally, word on the street—or in this case, the web—is that The
Raven Prince has been nominated as a Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice in the
Historical Novel category, which is Terribly Exciting to say the least!
Yours Most Sincerely,
January 15, 2007
Gentle Reader,
Ahhh. That’s the sigh of relief from a writer when she’d finished
the first draft of a book and hasn’t yet received revisions on it from an
editor or agent. Of course I’ll get those revisions soon—this week,
I believe—but for now I’m enjoying the lull in activity.
Bookmarks for The Leopard Prince have arrived,
and they look very nice if I do say so myself. You will find them on the Contact
page (scroll down a bit) along with The Raven Prince
bookmarks. Feel free to order one or a dozen.
Yours Most Sincerely,
January 3, 2007
Gentle Reader,
Ah, the wonder of a sparkling New Year! I trust that your new diet and exercise
regime is going along swimmingly? The Three Untrained Dogs especially like this
time of year as there are many more walks than usual. This does lead to some canine
disappointment ‘round about the beginning of March when the walks have long
since tapered off, but we won’t speak about that.
And here are a few Sparkling New Things on my website:
• The first scene of THE LEOPARD PRINCE,
posted for your consideration.
• A January contest—the prize an autographed
copy of THE RAVEN PRINCE as well as Eve
Silver’s HIS DARK KISS.
• And finally, in the Odds and Ends,
The Unwritten Rules for A Romance Hero.
I hope you enjoy them all!
Yours Most Sincerely,
December 15, 2006
Gentle Reader,
Holiday Felicitations! I have been informed that all my Youngest wants for
Christmas is a kitten. This despite the fact that her mother is deathly allergic
to cats. It seems that when the choice is between the person who Labored for Eighteen
Hours to Give Birth to you and a cute, furry kitten, the kitten wins hands down.
In other news, The Raven Prince is now available
as an e-book and, last I looked, is a bestseller on ereader.com.
Will wonders never cease? My monthly contest continues and the prize is two books,
my own and Julie Anne Long’s
Beauty and the Spy. I hope you will take the time to enter.
Yours Most Sincerely,
December 1 , 2006
Gentle Reader,
The smallest of the Three Untrained Dogs is in mourning now that it is officially
Winter. She is slightly Fur Challenged and the prospect of going for a morning
constitutional in the wind prompts many an Unhappy Canine Glance. Fortunately,
there are such things as Doggie Sweaters (a lavender twin set!) and while it does
make her look slightly comical when she barks fiercely at the garbage truck, it
does keep her tummy warm.
In celebration of the holidays I will be giving away two books this
month: my own The Raven Prince and Julie Anne Long's
Beauty
and the Spy. Please refer to the Contests page
for entry instructions. Also new this month is a research article on The
Georgian Man and His Wig and an Odds and Ends frivolity entitled, When
Heroes Rebel. Enjoy!
Yours Most Sincerely,
November 16, 2006
Gentle Reader,
Goodness gracious! The Raven Prince hit the
Romance Bestseller list on Bookscan at number 26. I was so overwhelmed at the
news that the Three Untrained Dogs were forced to revive me by licking my face.
Or perhaps they were interested in the lovely New York cheesecake I’d had
for luncheon. They are Loyal Canines but easily diverted by food.
If you haven’t had the time to visit your local bookstore and buy The
Raven Prince, perhaps you might be interested in entering my November
website contest. The winner will receive an autographed copy of Raven
and a box of Godiva chocolates to boot.
Yours Most Sincerely,
November 1, 2006
Gentle Reader,
Huzzah! The Raven Prince is finally
in stores! I saw a copy just the other day and was struck anew by the loveliness
of the cover. But perhaps I am biased. To add to my excitement, Raven
has just received another wonderful review, this one from Barbara Samuels
at Bookpage.
She writes that Raven is "A very rich, very hot dessert."
Hmm. I have noticed a certain commonality of theme amongst the Glowing Reviews
Raven has garnered. Many readers compare Raven with dessert--Rich,
Decadent, and very, very Satisfying. How appropriate, then, that I have decided
to celebrate its release by holding a contest. The prize? Why, an autographed
copy of The Raven Prince along with a box of Godiva chocolates--your
opportunity to compare and contrast the two. Please go to my Contests
page to enter. Bon Chance!
Yours Most Sincerely,
October 16, 2006
Gentle Reader,
Only two more weeks until the release of The
Raven Prince! This Writer can hardly stand the wait--the Three Untrained
Dogs are bundles of barking nerves and Mr. Hoyt has become quite sharp of late.
How little Gentlemen understand the Artistic Temperament.
But in Other News . . . my Simple Tome has garnered some Kind Reviews--you
may read them here.
Also a Very Famous Author--whose initials are J.Q.
--wrote quite an amusing article about reading The Raven Prince. I have
never been so honored to have my writing "trashed."
Yours Most Sincerely,
Elizabeth
Yours Most Sincerely,
October 8, 2006
Gentle Reader,
Much excitement! The Raven Prince --which
debuts next month--has received a Top Pick from Romantic
Times Book Reviews magazine! Not only that, but my hero is a K.I.S.S
(Knight in Shining Silver) for November:
Gruff but vulnerable 'beast' Edward de Raaf is truly a man you'll want
to tame.
My! Makes you want to fan yourself, does it not?
Yours Most Sincerely,
September 13 , 2006
Gentle Reader,
Autumn has arrived and with it the cover of The
Leopard Prince! And a Terribly Fashionable cover it is, too, for it features
Legs. Yes, legs. Have you not noticed that all the new Historical Romances involve
Mysterious Legs? Well, trust me, they do. And, of course, The
Raven Prince will debut with a crop of Sensuous Back covers.
This begs the question: what will be the Next Big Body Part in romance covers?
Ears? Heels? Elbows? I await your suggestions, Gentle Reader, for you are my only
hope. Regrettably, Mr. Hoyt made a rather risqué comment when queried about
Body Parts and Romance Covers, but I forgive him. The gentlemen must have their
little jokes.
Yours Most Sincerely,
August 11, 2006
Gentle Reader,
Exciting News! The Raven Prince has
been made an alternative selection of the Doubleday and Rhapsody book clubs!
Naturally, both I and the Three Untrained Dogs are up in the air with anticipation.
I also heard this week that The Leopard Prince,
my second book, will debut in April 2007.
In other news, I returned from the Romance Writers of America conference with
Goodies. If you are a bookseller or librarian you can now order first chapter
booklets and Raven Prince cover postcards as well as bookmarks and an
advanced reader copy. Phew! So many things happening and my garden is still
full of weeds!
Yours Most Sincerely,
July 1, 2006
Gentle Reader,
July already! This means that the Romance Writers of America annual conference--in
Atlanta this year--is growing ever nearer and with it the Terrible Packing Dilemma:
how many shoes is too many shoes? Mr. Hoyt is a total wash at helping with this
problem. He claims he never notices shoes anyway, but as this is Patently Ridiculous,
I have chosen to Ignore Him.
In other news, I have added an Exceedingly
Strange Tale to the Research Articles page,
but I must warn my Gentle Readers: it is not for the Faint of Heart. Also, those
desiring to obtain a complementary Raven Prince bookmark may visit the
Contact page for an order form.
Yours Most Sincerely,
June 19, 2006
Gentle Reader,
It is the Latter Part of June and alas my cuticles are lovely and intact. This
is a Sad Sign that I have not been spending nearly as much time as I should in
my Neglected Garden. Usually by June my nails are a Perfect Fright. But in Happier
News, my bookmarks for The Raven Prince have arrived!
I think they are Quite Stunning. If You, Gentle Reader, would like one of my bookmarks
for your very own, do drop me a line via the Contact Form.
In the meantime, I shall pledge to work Diligently at destroying my fingernails
by Gardening.
Yours Most Sincerely,
May 18, 2006
Gentle Reader,
There I was minding my Own Business when the UPS truck pulled up outside my
Humble Abode. Naturally, I politely accepted the package and sedately walked back
inside before tearing the envelope to pieces. What do you think it was? The Page
Proofs to The Raven Prince! What fun! I do think my writing looks Especially Thoughtful
when placed beneath an ornate Chapter One heading.
In other news, I happened to wander by the Amazon.com site and carelessly enter
my own name. Imagine my surprise—and gratification—when The
Raven Prince was displayed. Impatient readers may pre-order
my trifling work if they so desire. Just a thought.
Yours Most Sincerely,
April 24, 2006
Gentle Reader,
Ah, Spring! The flowers poking their Precious Little Heads through the dark
loam, the Cheerful Birds aflutter in the treetops, and the squirrels Busily Uprooting
my hostas. At least I think it's the squirrels. Perhaps it's the bunnies.
But no matter.
My book cover has finally arrived! And, although
I do say so myself, a splendid book cover it is: evocative, bold, and-- ahem!
--erotic. One of my darling children observed that the lady on said book
cover would be quite naked should she turn around. Then , I said, it
is a good thing she doesn't turn around, isn't it? Would you care for
a second helping of Raspberry Trifle?
The thoughtful child nodded.
Yours Most Sincerely,
April 2, 2006
Gentle Reader,
Mr. Hoyt was given Very Strict Instructions: He was to pick up the telephone
immediately should it ring, and Under No Circumstances was he to duck his head
and pretend he did not hear it ringing. Mr. Hoyt is a lovely man—as I am
sure I have commented before in this space—but he can be a Trifle Stubborn
when it comes to answering the phone. He claims it is never for him.
But I digress.
Thus, half an hour later when the phone did ring—at exactly
8:00 a.m. on March 24—I was prepared for the Call. “Moi?”
I asked with a blush as Mr. Hoyt rolled his eyes heavenward in the background.
“You say my second manuscript, The Leopard Prince, has finaled
in the Romance Writers’ of America’s Golden Heart Contest? What a
surprise!”
The only problem now is what to wear to the awards ceremony . . .
Yours Most Sincerely,
March 17, 2006
Gentle Reader,
Recently Mr. Hoyt and I were engaging in our usual After Dinner conversation
on the veranda, when a Shocking Gap in my husband’s otherwise impeccable
education came to light. He was unsure of who Coke of Norfolk was and he seemed
to be under the impression that Jethro Tull had something to do with an iron lung.
Worse, he had never even heard of “Turnip” Townshend! You can imagine
my horror at the thought that any Learned Person would be unaware of this great
man, a champion of that lowly Root Crop whose name he bears. Well, when I had
recovered sufficiently, I determined to jot down a Trifling Article so that others
may not go in ignorance of the man with an Unforgettable Nickname. You may find
it in the EXTRAS section.
Yours Most Sincerely,
March 7, 2006
Gentle Reader,
One of the very best things about being a Nearly Published Author is that there
are people who actually read one’s Manuscript. This is in contrast to being
a Not Published At All Author when nobody reads the manuscript unless one counts
Mr. Hoyt who, although a very dear man, does not necessarily understand the intricacies
of the Romance Novel and has a distressing tendency to wonder aloud about the
bathing habits of the average eighteenth century person. But I digress. Imagine,
then, my delight when I received an electronic missive last week informing me
that bestselling authors Julianne MacLean and Connie Brockway had not only read
my book, but enjoyed it enough to offer some terribly kind comments. If one were
not dignified, one might caper about the house causing the three Untrained Canines
to bark and spin in circles with excitement.
Yours Most Sincerely,
February 20, 2006
Gentle Reader,
As I sit sipping my Morning Coffee, I reflect upon how much I love the brew.
Strong, with just a dollop of Cream--no non-fat milk, please--I look forward to
my daily cup with childish enthusiasm. In honor of the Sublime Bean I have penned
a research article that I think you will find diverting. It is newly posted in
the EXTRAS section. Read while enjoying your own
coffee!
Yours Most Sincerely,
February 12, 2006
Gentle Reader,
Two days before Valentine’s Day and I haven’t done a thing in preparation!
Fortunately, Mr. Hoyt does not need very much preparation when it comes to Romantic
Gestures. In fact, none at all. You see, every Valentine’s Day since we
were joined in Wedded Bliss I have given Mr. Hoyt the same present. A large chocolate
brownie (made by my own hands, naturally) artfully decorated with pink, white
and red M & M’s in the shape of a heart. Mr. Hoyt has always had a weakness
for M & M’s—and for brownies.
It is a wise wife who knows her husband’s secret desires—mundane
though they may be.
Yours Most Sincerely,
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