Monday, December 12, 2005

Kind of Freaky...and Some Very Big News!



It's pretty weird that more than ten days have elapsed since my last post here! It's the time of year, I think, where we're so focused on shopping, and family events and the like, that whole blocks of time simply breeze by.

I hope you didn't feel abandoned, and thanks to everyone for the wonderful comments about our new agency sign. Julie has taken some cool pics of the agency CHRISTMAS TREE which she'll be uploading in the next few days. :)

So my Very Big News: my new website is finally live!!! I will continue to have my basic author site at www.deidreknight.com, but this is for the Parallel Series, and has lots of goodies, such as character interviews, giveaways, a message board--plus some very cutting edge effects (be sure to turn your volume up for the full effect.)

So visit www.deidreknightbooks.com and let me know what you think!

Deidre

Thursday, December 01, 2005

Sign of the Times




I’m also a Prince fan from way back; in fact, I just might be a collection of my various pop culture influences. So, today was a landmark day in the life of Deidre—after nearly ten years in business, I have my first SIGN. You’ll note the various angles and snapshots of said sign sprinkled throughout this post. It was an awesome moment, driving up to the office today and seeing it there, hanging by the street. Sort of, “Wow! I’m real!”


Remember the great scene in VANILLA SKY when Kurt Russell’s character is revealed as not having a last name? He keeps saying, “I’m real, damn it! I’m REAL!” That’s a bit how it felt these past few years while I slaved away in my office at home. There we were, posting major sales and major deals, but no matter how nontraditional an era we’re living in—especially in terms of business—it’s hard to shake the very traditional conceptions of what constitutes a business. You want mortar; you want equipment; you want employees. Having grown up in a family retail business, I kept feeling that my enterprise, no matter how successful, was less than authentic without an old-fashioned shingle.

Silly. Totally ridiculous in the age of Internet and faxes and phones and iPods (well, you’ve got to have music at the office!) and the like. Still, when I pulled into my parking space today I sorta felt like I’d finally arrived.



Good day!
:)

Monday, November 28, 2005

Stringing It All Back Home




I love Bob Dylan. Many of you already know that; for those who don’t, you’ll realize it soon enough when the second book of my series (PARALLEL HEAT) hits the shelves next fall. But that’s not the point, apart from explaining my blog title. I want to talk about the struggle of putting all the parts of a novel together, at least for me.

The truth is I tend to write way far ahead. In fact, I already have about 100 or so pages on my third book down on paper, which I wrote while halfway through book one. Can’t help it. If the story is speaking loudly to me, I have to go with that energy. In fact, an author who I hold in high esteem once gave me a great piece of advice. She told me that if she didn’t write ahead—but merely kept anticipating those big scenes off on the horizon—by the time she reached them, all that power had faded away. Ever since that discussion I am a huge, gung-ho believer in writing whatever scene is whispering to me with the loudest voice.

The downside of that habit comes in pulling all the disparate bits together. For instance, on the book I’m currently writing I have a big huge chunk written toward the end—segments totaling more than 100 pages. But I’m nowhere near that place on the front side of the book, in other words, we are missing a big middle chunk. And that missing piece calls the latter part into question.

So how does one handle such a situation? I’m reminded tonight that outlining is my diehard friend. In the past I really did love outlining—lately, I think impatience has taken the stage and I’ve drifted away from the habit. But then you just reach that point in a book—especially if you write ahead—where it won’t come together and make logical sense if you don’t take a step back and figure out how it all tiles together.

I think of it like a mosaic, each piece a tesserae and it’s my job to form the full picture. Life has a similar out-of-order quality, even as its happening chronologically. Ever notice how many times your memory takes over with your own life’s events, reshaping their pattern into the “right” arrangement? I think that’s our mind trying to outline events into the most coherent, artful shape of things. So why do we resist the need to lay out our own books? Or, at the very least, why am I resisting it lately?

Perhaps the fear of concretizing the story too fully. Perhaps that impatience I mentioned above, the urge to freight train into the battle without stopping for water or air. I’m not sure. But tonight I’m going back to my own writing basics. I’m outlining, stringing it all together, and remembering that the most important thing as a writer is to hold to your best habits. Hold the course. Keep the faith. Keep on writing until the book is done.
Deidre

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

In My Life



Let me start this blog by reassuring everyone that, truly, I am not a redneck; I’m not even close to approximating one. I might have made my iPod joke the other day, but especially due to the nature of this particular post, I want everyone to have a pretty decent handle on the kind of girl I am. So here we go: I’m southern by birth, well-traveled and sophisticated by the grace of God. That would be me. I grew up in Atlanta, a cosmopolitan city that has, in recent years, morphed into a disappointing megalopolis that I hardly recognize anymore. The distinctive southern flavor of my hometown has given way to generic, homogenized overgrowth of epic proportions. Where people used to wave one another into traffic, they now bowl them over at eighty miles an hour. No wonder I decided to move away.

For college, I did a four-year stint right outside DC in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Every weekend was spent visiting museums and dance clubs and hanging out in Adams Morgan. It was the eighties then, a time when the 9:30 Club on F Street was the place to be, whether for slam dancing, techno cool, or pre-grunge rock. After my freshman year I biked a thousand miles across Europe in a month; I have to tell you, if you want to see Europe up close and personal, there’s nothing like being invited into a German lady’s home for fresh lemonade.

Later, I returned to Europe for a semester studying in London where the walls of my more sheltered childhood life kept crumbling down (acknowledgments to John Mellencamp.) After college, working in the movie business certainly removed what was left of my naïve, rose-tinted lenses. Enough so that it might possibly explain why I headed back to London once again, roaming around the world (just like the B52’s, who were oddly popular at that exact time) in search of some higher definition of self. And then—and only then—did I decide to let my roots grow deep in the town of my birth: Atlanta.

All of that is my effort to establish my bonafides, to prove before I go further on this topic, that I am not a redneck. Why prove that fact? So I can foist my latest literary observation upon all you poor, reading folk. Here it is: What if writers were wrestlers? What a colorful literary landscape it would be!

My childhood took place in the era before wrestling was packaged and well-produced, a high-powered glitz affair at home on Pay-per-view. Mine was the era of Gordon Solie narrating Georgia Championship Wrestling by video on Sunday nights on WTBS. He was the man of easy poetry, who made that ring like a Shakespearean stage. He taught me “bedlam”, “pandemonium” and a dozen other fifty-cent words. He was a lyrical genius who could make grappling in front of a “live” studio audience of twenty seem like a Promethean battle fought in the coliseum.

My parents sent all of us to one of the most prominent prep schools in the country, but kudos to my dad for taking me one night to a real deal live wrestling match. I’ll never forget that night, how some genuine redneck tossed my baseball cap into the ring and Dick Slater handed it back. So here’s the thing, my friends: people are a complex tapestry. Here I am, preppy, Euro-gal, and I found a taste for drama, for that mystical thing that drives me as a writer, early on in the high drama of wrestling theater. My favorite books include WAR AND PEACE (waves at Diana!), PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, anything Salinger, anything Kerouac, anything that moves the world a little. I own a first edition of THE SECRET HISTORY, love Spike Lee movies, and grew up on The Who, the Police and The Smiths.

My point? We are all an amalgam of our influences, a wide spectrum of tastes and impulses. Which means that for us as writers, any characterization that falls short of that standard will, quite simply, fail to meet character where it really happens—in the realm of the complex.

And that is, undoubtedly, more than any of you wanted to know about my childhood. Have a blessed, wonderful, and grateful Thanksgiving. I am deeply thankful to have all of you, my blogging friends, in my life!
Deidre

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

If DVD Players Were iPods, How Nerdy Would I Be?




We’ve had the iPod inventory, or at least the snapshot inventory, thereby proving that my unit is not, in fact, a redneck one. But I keep waiting for the day when I can download all my favorite DVD movies and shows onto a single device—already, I far prefer just playing something I’ve TIVO’ed, rather than going through the rigamarole of loading a new disc. So imagine the day when we’ll have our little porto-units with SIX FEET UNDER, all five seasons, and Roswell seasons 1-3, and so forth. It will be a true testament to my own personal geek factor.

THE GEEK FACTOR:

I like shows I can become obsessive, or the very least thorough, about. In other words, I want something where I can see every show, discuss those episodes knowledgably, and more important, I want to look forward to it every Friday night. What’s so great about Friday night, you ask? That’s usually when Sci-fi Channel has rocked. For a wonderful while it was the Farscape slot. Now it’s the Battlestar Galactica slot (BSG.) Life is plenty exciting and hectic for me; I travel the world, write novels, and (most important of all) raise two amazing daughters. Life is never, ever dull for Deidre. That said, there’s something really great about a lift on Show Day. Like Game Day, Show Day is that key day of the week when you know your fave show will air. So, about two pm or maybe six or maybe even nine am, depending on how excited you are, you will think to yourself, “Yes. Today is the day.” The world gets a tiny fraction brighter.

How many shows will I follow? some concerned folks may be wondering. Never more than two or three. At present, BSG is on hiatus until January, so I’m only watching LOST and OFF TO WAR. The latter has been an eye-opening look at one Oklahoma reservist battalion during their tour in Iraq. What makes the show even more interesting is that it also follows these soldiers’ families back home. There’s no editorializing, but rather it’s just a very frank, emotional look at what these soldiers experience while in country. I highly recommend catching this on Discovery Times.

But back to the iPod theory. I believe we’ll have movie iPods in the next five to ten years. And so, what would my play list include?

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
SIX FEET UNDER
ROSWELL
FARSCAPE
STAR TREK, THE ORIGINAL SHOW
PRETTY WOMAN
THE TERMINATOR movies
ALIENS
LOST
The full UNSOLVED MYSTERIES catalog
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS
TERMS OF ENDEARMENT
STEEL MAGNOLIAS
MINORITY REPORT
ALMOST FAMOUS
JERRY MAGUIRE
VANILLA SKY
NEW JACK CITY
JASON’S LYRIC
GIRL INTERRUPTED
CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER
PATRIOT GAMES
STRICTLY BALLROOM
MURIEL’S WEDDING
TOMBSTONE
CLOCKERS
SMOKE
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
SWINGERS
POINT BREAK
DOC HOLLYWOOD
SLIDING DOORS
A ROOM WITH A VIEW
CONTACT


The list goes on and on… I always find it troubling when people ask me my favorite movies, because there are always so many of them. But the above would be an iMovie load-up that would make me very happy.

The Woman is Brilliant


And that would be MEL on her recent blog post about overweight women. Check it out, and be sure to follow the link to her dressing down of the boys who moo'ed.

There are many brilliant women in my life; I'm lucky that way. At my office, I'm surrounded by smart chicks. There's Pamela Harty, my sister and lifelong best friend (and fellow agent, of course.) She's not a blogger because that's not her cup of tea. I'm the writer in the family. But she loves books, loves agenting, and never ceases to amaze me with her keen observations. Plus, as I said at RWA a few years ago: "She's the better bitch." And in this business, that's a pretty important trait on the business acumen hierarchy.

I'm also fortunate enough to have the triumverate of twenty, i.e. the three Generation Y ladies who work in my office alongside me. It's incredibly energizing to work with women who bring fresh perspective. They make the business feel new to me again.

Then there's my wonderful Nephele. Talk about smart. She had a better handle on some of these agenting nuances after three months than I did after more than a year. Plus she's more well read than I am. :)

My daughters, of course, are the most brilliant people in my life. A couple of gems:

Tyler (seven) while we were watching the New Orleans coverage on the news. I told her, "Tyler, you should watch this. This is history." She said:
"I thought it was happening now."

Riley, while doing "this little piggy" on my toes: "this little piggy went to market...and this little piggy had Arby's..."


Yes, brilliant women. I know that I'm blessed.
hugs to all my wonderful women out there!
Deidre

Monday, November 21, 2005

The Truth About the Redneck iPod

Well, Pamela is correct--the iPod does indeed rock. I like some country rock (yes, it was Skynerd!) and a little bit of country (love Tim McGraw these days), but on the whole, I'm more of a rock chick.

A quick perusal of the iPod's music listing reveals:

10,000 Maniacs
10CC
4 Non Blondes
A Tribe Called Quest
Adam Cohen
Afrikaa Baambaataa
Alanis Morrisette
Alex Lloyd
Alien Ant Farm
Argent
Ash
Atlanta Rhythm Section
Bachman Turner Overdrive
The Band

And we aren't even very far into the B's...

So, truth revealed... it's an ECLECTIC iPod.
:)
Deidre

Saturday, November 19, 2005

That Dog Ain't Gonna Hunt

Title for Mel and Maria. :) Actually, one of my best friends is really fond of that expression, which is one of the stranger southernisms in our collective cultural consciousness as southern folk. So to fall into more gently bred phrasing: what, mayhap, shant be hunting? My husband's latest description of one of my favorite electronic devices. Today in the car, as I wanted to hear a particular southern rock tune he informed me: "You're the one with the redneck iPod--I'm sure it's on yours!" :)

The redneck iPod. I had to laugh at that one...
Deidre

Friday, November 18, 2005

“Night Mares”
by MaryJanice Davidson
featured in BEWITCHED, BOTHERED AND BE-VAMPYRED

(Triskelion Press)

Welcome to Brokenoggin Falls, where the housewives are not only desperate, they’re Witches! (And one of them might be a Harpy) The spells cast by moonlight frequently go awry. And there are times when toads and Chihuahuas seem abundant as black flies in the summer, the dragons are a little touchy, the Forest Trolls are in danger of extinction from teeny-boppers, the Gryphons need help conceiving and...the scientist are crunchy and good with ketchup...

All proceeds from the sales of this book will go to the International Red Cross.

At a birthday party for the Disdaine Triplets, the little darlings decide they aren’t pleased with the party or the guests and use magic to create their own fun. That night the town and all its residents are visited by the infamous Night Mares who wreak mayhem as only giant ponies prancing through your house can. (First episode with story & characters created by Lynn Warren.)

Be on the lookout for MYSTERIA, an anthology expanding on the episode MaryJanice created in BEWITCHED, BOTHERED AND BEVAMPYRED. MYSTERIA (Berkley) hits shelves in August 2006!


ABOUT MARYJANICE DAVIDSON:
MaryJanice Davidson is the best-selling author of several romance novels, including UNDEAD AND UNWED and HELLO GORGEOUS. Her books have been on the USA Today best seller list, as well as the New York Times list. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, two children, and dog, and is secretly addicted to Peanut Buster Parfaits.


WEBSITE: http://www.maryjanicedavidson.net/

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Any Which Way You Can

People sometimes (often?) ask me how I can possibly find time to write. As I sat writing in the car during my daughter’s ballet practice, pungent smell of manure (the ballet studio is on a farm!) wafting in through the air vents, it really occurred to me that it’s not about the Big Expanse of Time. It’s about learning to write, day in and day out, month after month. And when you consider that I’ve been writing on a consistent, daily basis for more than five years now, the rhythm of writing under contract isn’t all that new.

For several years now I’ve been of the mind that you just have to write whenever you can, even if it’s not the most pristine, graceful moment. See the cow manure/farm moment earlier today. Irony here? That it was some of the most unadulterated creative time I’ve had in weeks: no radio on, no Internet service, no interruptions. It was just me in my car, fingers flying over the keyboard.

Too often aspiring writers seem to wait for the big ideal moment, forgetting that life is an accumulation of less-than-ideal moments. It’s the overall tapestry we’re creating that matters.

Anyway, it’s been a long time since I posted here, but I think my more ideal moments are starting to click by closer together. Here’s hoping that means I can be a more regular presence out here in the blogosphere.

Monday, November 14, 2005

And the Winners Are...

The signed ARC of PARALLEL ATTRACTION with nifty lunch cooler goes to chocowriter!!!

CHEERS!!!!

The second place prizes go to (each a winner of the coolest cooler around!): banderson and pellini1!!

The crowd goes wild! WOOHOO! Congratulations to all our winners and thank you to everyone for participating!

To the winners: I'll be emailing you soon on how to best get your prizes to you! CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

His Dark Desires on tour today!

Psst.. a little bird told me that Jennifer St. Giles will be a star guest on the TKA Chats soon. I'm just sayin... keep an eye on those calendars and the TKA blog for more info!

Winner of Rendezvous Reviews Magazine’s Rosebud of the Month!
Who cites His Dark Desires as Powerful and emotional, with complex characters…an excellent journey into the past you won’t forget.



by Jennifer St. Giles
(Pocket Books, Nov. 2005)

Can any woman resist the fire in his eyes—and the danger in his kiss? From award-winning author of The Mistress of Trevelyan (2004 National Readers Choice Award for Best Historical and Best First Book, and 2004 Maggie Award for Excellence in Historical Fiction) comes the sensual tale of a woman haunted—and a man possessed—by an all-consuming love. . . .

You are in danger. Trust no one. The terrifying words from a mysterious letter echo in Juliet Bucheron's mind. Destitute ever since her husband disappeared in the Civil War, Juliet has turned her New Orleans ancestral home into a boarding house -- despite the rumors of ghosts, the whispers of scandal, and the stain of murder. But even more unsettling is Juliet's new tenant, a handsome stranger named Stephen Trevelyan. Wealthy, educated, and seductively compelling, Stephen fills Juliet's heart with uncontrollable longing -- and her head with suspicion. Something, she senses, is lurking beneath the surface. And someone is stalking the hallways after midnight. As the danger draws nearer, Juliet wonders if she can really trust Stephen. But as he pulls her closer, she knows she cannot resist him...no matter what the price.

EXCERPT:
http://www.jenniferstgiles.com/hisdarkdesire.shtml


ABOUT JENNIFER ST. GILES:
A former nurse and home educator, this award winning author loves to create unforgettable heroes and heroines, who against all odds, fight and win the battle for love—the human need that drives us all. She lives in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and three children.


REVIEWS:
A wonderful Americana suspense thriller.. St. Giles provides a fabulous reconstruction era tale
—Harriet Klausner.

A riveting sequel…a sexually charged romance that satisfies whether they’re seeking suspense or passion.
--Romantic Times Book Club.


WEBSITE:

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Giveaway Extension


Everyone now has one extra day to win the signed ARC of PARALLEL ATTRACTION! Tell your friends to sign up today!

New giveaway deadline: Midnight EST, November 10th 2005


Click here to join DeidreKnight
Click to join DeidreKnight

Monday, November 07, 2005

Giveaway Coming to a Close!

The very first Deidre Knight author contest is quickly coming to a close!! Deidre is giving away an ARC (advanced reading copy) this Weds November 9th, and all you have to do to qualify is sign up for her newsletter e-group by midnight EST on the 9th!

The grand prize winner will receive a signed ARC of PARALLEL ATTRACTION. Might I add that this will most likely be your ONLY chance to get your hands on the novel before it hits the bookshelves.

Two great winners will each receive a promo cooler sporting I'm off to read PARALLEL ATTRACTION by Deidre Knight.

So, what are you waiting for? Sign up for the newsletter and you might just be the very first reader to pick up PARALLEL ATTRACTION!

So click here to sign up and qualify: Deidre's Newsletter

Good luck everybody!

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

UNDEAD AND UNRETURNABLE

“Mary Janice Davidson is a refreshing voice to both the romance and vampire world of writing…I cannot recommend her enough!”

—ParaNormal Romance Reviews

UNDEAD AND UNRETURNABLE

by MaryJanice Davidson
(Berkley, October 25, 2005)

Even the undead celebrate Christmas, and Betsy is in heaven shopping for gifts. But all is not merry in the mansion. It’s become infested with ghosts—really needy ones who have no qualms asking Betsy to run errands for them to rectify their pasts. Meanwhile, a serial killer is on the loose, and, being tall and blonde, Betsy perfectly fits his type. They say Christmas is a time for friends and family. But with a half-sister who’s the devil’s daughter, an evil stepmother, a fiend living in her basement, and assorted spirits and killers running amok, Betsy is not sure she’ll survive the holidays. Oh, right. She’s already dead…

Excerpt:
http://www.maryjanicedavidson.net/Undead%20and%20Unreturnable.htm

ABOUT MARYJANICE DAVIDSON
MaryJanice Davidson is the best-selling author of several romance novels, including UNDEAD AND UNWED and HELLO GORGEOUS. Her books have been on the USA Today best seller list, as well as the New York Times list. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, two children, and dog, and is secretly addicted to Peanut Buster Parfaits.

REVIEWS
“This is one of the funniest, most satisfying series to come along lately. If you’re fans of Sookie Stackhouse and Anita Blake, don’t miss Betsy Taylor. She rocks.”—The Best Reviews

WEBSITE: http://www.maryjanicedavidson.net

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Bid on a some AWESOME items!



So would you like to get your hands on a signed ARC of PARALLEL ATTRACTION with a (might I add quite nifty) promo lunch cooler? Or how about an autographed copy of AWAKEN ME DARKLY by Gena Showalter?Well... the opportunity is yours! Both are up for bidding on ebay through ScifidDimensions.com auction.

Here's the links:
PARALLEL ATTRACTION (signed ARC) w/cooler: Click HERE!

AWAKEN ME DARKLY (autographed): Click HERE!

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

“A Dance Through the Garden of Good and Evil”

“A Dance Through the Garden of Good and Evil”
featured in BEWITCHED, BOTHERED AND BEVAMPYRED
by Susan Grant, (Triskelion Press)

Welcome to Brokenoggin Falls, where the housewives are not only desperate, they’re Witches! (And one of them might be a Harpy) The spells cast by moonlight frequently go awry. And there are times when toads and Chihuahuas seem abundant as black flies in the summer, the dragons are a little touchy, the Forest Trolls are in danger of extinction from teeny-boppers, the Gryphons need help conceiving and...the scientist are crunchy and good with ketchup...

When Pastor Harmony Faithfull unknowingly hires a tall, dark, and sexy demon to be the new church groundskeeper, all hell breaks loose.

All proceeds from the sales of this book will go to the International Red Cross.

WHAT'S NEXT:
Be on the lookout for MYSTERIA, an anthology expanding on the episode and characters Susan created in BEWITCHED, BOTHERED AND BEVAMPYRED. MYSTERIA (Berkley) hits shelves in August 2006!

ABOUT SUSAN GRANT
One of the first women to graduate from the US Air Force Academy, award-winning author Susan Grant piloted jets in the USAF before joining United Airlines. She currently flies 747s around the world.

WEBSITE: http://www.susangrant.com/

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

“Candy Cox and the Big Bad (Were) Wolf” featured in BEWITCHED, BOTHERED AND BEVAMPYRED

“Candy Cox and the Big Bad (Were) Wolf”
featured in BEWITCHED, BOTHERED AND BEVAMPYRED
by PC Cast
(Triskelion Press)

Be on the lookout for MYSTERIA, an anthology expanding on the episode and characters PC created in BEWITCHED, BOTHERED AND BEVAMPYRED. MYSTERIA (Berkley) hits shelves in August 2006!

All proceeds from the sales of this book will go to the International Red Cross.

Welcome to Brokenoggin Falls, where the housewives are not only desperate, they’re Witches! (And one of them might be a Harpy) The spells cast by moonlight frequently go awry. And there are times when toads and Chihuahuas seem abundant as black flies in the summer, the dragons are a little touchy, the Forest Trolls are in danger of extinction from teeny-boppers, the Gryphons need help conceiving and...the scientist are crunchy and good with ketchup...

Godiva Tawdry casts a spell and burned-out school teacher Candy Cox finds the sexy young were-lover of her dreams. But when she finds out he’s really the pack slut, she sets out to “teach” him a life lesson. It’s never smart to piss off a woman who makes a career of disciplining teenagers…

ABOUT PC CAST:
Award-winning author PC Cast is a dynamic, entertaining orator and an extraordinary teacher. Currently, her realm is in Oklahoma, where she resides with her daughter, her spoiled cat, and her rotten Scottie dogs.

WEBSITE: http://www.pccast.net/

Thursday, October 06, 2005

So you wanna copy of the transcript?

Wow! What an awesome chat with Deidre Knight! The hour + was filled to the brim with information. AND we have a transcript available on The Knight Agency Yahoo! egroup site. Now, first you will have to be member to get to the transcript, but that is easy enough to do. Simply click below and follow the instructions to login.


Click here to join Knightagency
Click to join Knightagency

And while you're at it.. might as well join up no Deidre's egroup too! See below:

Click here to join DeidreKnight
Click to join DeidreKnight
Okay, so now you've joined up. The next step is to click on the menu option "FILES" under either of these groups. The name of the file is (it's the only one on TKA's egroup page so far):

"Lunch Chat with Deidre 10-06-05.doc: Transcript for TKA Chat with Deidre Knight 10-06-05"
Just click on the file and download it! Enjoy!!!

Deidre Knight lunchtime chat: TODAY!

I know I couldn't wait til Friday to chat with Deidre, so we bumped up the chat to TODAY at NOON EDT. We know it's short notice and hope it's not too tough on everyone who wants to attend (and we might just so happen to have another Deidre Knight lunch chat in the works). So, in other words, grab lunch to go and join us for a chat at our new SigmaChat space and keep a sharp eye on the blog for further updates on our latest happenings. Oh and while you're at it, check out her blog and preorder her exciting debut novel: Parallel Attraction!

For more info....see the original post!

Wednesday, October 05, 2005

MERCENARIES by Angela Knight

MERCENARIES by Angela Knight
(Penguin, September 2005)

In an embattled, sexually-charged new world of the future, the adventure begins...Beautiful Trinity Yeager's mission: join Nathan August's star-hopping team of mercenary soldiers. With one condition: Trinity must prove her resilience as a lover for him and his first officer, Sebastian Cole. Trinity not only sees Nathan's bet. She raises it... Now, from galactic dens of depravity to far-reaching planets of dominant females and strapping male slaves, Trinity, Sebastian, and Nathan join forces, risk flesh and blood, and push the boundaries of erotic adventure in order to protect, honor, and service.

Excerpt:
http://www.angelasknights.com/mercenaries.htm

ABOUT ANGELA KNIGHT:
Angela Knight's first book was written in pencil and illustrated in crayon; she was nine years old at the time. But her mother was enthralled, and Angela was hooked.

In the years that followed, Angela managed to figure out a way to make a living -- more or less -- at what she loved best: writing. After a short career as a comic book writer, she became a newspaper reporter, covering everything from school board meetings to murders. Several of her stories won South Carolina Press Association awards under her real name. For more of Angela’s interesting bio, visit her website: http://angelasknights.com/bio.htm


REVIEWS:
"Ms. Knight has combined the erotic with the romantic and made a classic tale of two lovers who awaken to each other needs. " -- Susan Holly, Just Erotic Romance Reviews, which gave Mercenaries II a Gold Star rating.

"Nathan and Trin make magic together.” Denise Powers, Sensual Romance


WEBSITE:
http://www.angelasknights.com

Saturday, September 24, 2005

iPod Recovery Team

Guess what? It didn't take a team at all. Turned out that Sticky Fingers, AKA my daughter, was able to lead me right to the missing iPod. :) Good news for my mental state, and good news for all my friends on this blog who were concerned right along with me!

Deidre

What I Should Be Doing...

I should be writing. Hellloooo??? I've had some breakthrough thoughts on the shape of PARALLEL HEAT, and I plan to do that next. Right now, though, have been doing a bit of blogging and blog hopping tonight. Diana Peterfreund posted her color quiz results. I thought this was a lot of fun, and took the test myself. Interestingly, discovered that "my color" is dark violet, which is my favorite color. In fact, it's the color of my website. Here are my results:

you are darkviolet
#9400D3

Your dominant hues are blue and magenta. You're the one who goes to all the parties but doesn't quite fit in at every one... you know what you want, but are afraid of what the world might think of it. You're a little different and that's okay with them, and if you're smart it's okay with you too.

Your saturation level is very high - you are all about getting things done. The world may think you work too hard but you have a lot to show for it, and it keeps you going. You shouldn't be afraid to lead people, because if you're doing it, it'll be done right.

Your outlook on life is brighter than most people's. You like the idea of influencing things for the better and find hope in situations where others might give up. You're not exactly a bouncy sunshine but things in your world generally look up.
the spacefem.com html color quiz


I will add that I'm not sure how *accurate* this reading is--for one, I usually feel comfortable at any party. But it's fun and, hey, I like the color! :)

Thursday, September 22, 2005

Angela Knight featured in KICK ASS

These four women live up to the title so anyone who enjoys strong women kicking butt and hog tying their beloved will enjoy this fun often amusing but always exciting anthology
-- Harriet Klausner

“Warfem” featured in KICK ASS by Angela Knight
(Berkeley Trade, September 2005)

They're sexy. They're smart. And they aren't afraid of a little danger-not even when it comes to matters of the heart... Four of today's hottest authors present a quartet of stories about bold women who take no prisoners-either in a fight or in love. Whether it's in the bedroom, in the outer limits of the galaxy, or out on the mean streets, they kick heart-stopping action to the next level. These are women who can hold their own and aren't to be trifled with. The men in their lives know that-and they love it...

In “Warfem,” Alina Kasi reunites with her lover Baird Arvid after two decades apart. Passion instantly blazes between the two superhuman warriors, but old enemies and new lies may tear them apart. And Alina dreads what Baird will do when he finds out about the secret she’s been keeping for the past twenty years. But she soon discovers she’s not the only one keeping secrets.

EXCERPT:
http://www.angelasknights.com/warfem.htm

ABOUT ANGELA KNIGHT
Angela Knight's first book was written in pencil and illustrated in crayon; she was nine years old at the time. But her mother was enthralled, and Angela was hooked.
In the years that followed, Angela managed to figure out a way to make a living -- more or less -- at what she loved best: writing. After a short career as a comic book writer, she became a newspaper reporter, covering everything from school board meetings to murders. Several of her stories won South Carolina Press Association awards under her real name. For more of Angela’s interesting bio, visit her website: http://angelasknights.com/bio.htm

REVIEWS
WARFEM got 4 ½ stars from Romantic Times, which said, “Passion and intrigue are plentiful in Knight’s ‘Warfem.”
Speaking of the whole anthology, Jill Smith wrote, “It would be hard to find a more exciting way to spend a few hours. Settle in for tons of fun and enjoyment.”
In Warfem, Angela Knight gives us a fantastic story of a love that never died and another look at those yummy Warlords! – Pam L at A Romance Review. Four and a half Roses http://www.aromancereview.com/reviews/index.php?app_state=show_event&bookid=6065

WEBSITE FOR MORE INFO:
http://www.angelasknights.com/

Saturday, September 17, 2005

Bobbing for iPods

It was inevitable, really. In fact, rather than ask how it happened, I suppose I should wonder why it didn't happen sooner. Riley, the three-year-old went bobbing for iPods. MY iPod, to be exact, and now said electronic device is missing. Lost, somewhere in the Great Toy Abyss. It's pitiful when you have the urge to walk into your child's bedroom, shake them by the shoulder and demand that they wake. I want to shout Who Moved My iPod?!!? Only I know who moved it. I can picture her small, vaguely innocent hand clutched about the steely blue of my Mini. I just can't see where she has hidden away this item like prize booty. Perhaps in the Fisher Price dollhouse? Already looked through the front door, but no dice. The stroller? Nothing in it. The Barbie car? Nope, Ken and Ken are riding alone (let's not even go THERE tonight.)

It is true--my adorable, precious, angelic child is an iPod thief.

What, oh what, am I to do??

:)
Deidre (feeling much better than last night!)

Friday, September 16, 2005

Quote of the Day!

I wish to be cremated. One tenth of my ashes shall be given to my agent as written in our contract.

–Groucho Marx

Blog On, Garth!

At Last! A Moment For Blogging!

And if only I had all the moments I want for writing. You know, as an agent sometimes writers tell me they don’t have enough ideas, and I have to admit, that’s not the problem for me. My problem is all about that self-duplication principle. Wish I could put it into practice. Right now, I’m juggling at least two good YA ideas that I can’t possibly write—not with a clean conscience since I have a book due in March. I also have about four or five wonderful women’s fiction ideas. Again, no dice. The good news, as I was recently celebrating with my sister and agent (Pamela Harty), is that we sold a series that is just so fun for me to write, and not because it’s “simple” (as some would say of romance, and we who write—and read it—know that’s far from true.) Rather, it’s fun and easy to write because it comes, at least I think, most naturally to me.

It’s been an interesting year. Our agency is exploding, quite literally, with sales double what they were at this exact point twelve months ago—and those sales were already way up over previous years. We’ve bought office space, and are moving into the new building in about a week… a number of new employees, too, who are all doing a marvelous job, but who also require training. It’s as if this fantastic machine just gained a whole new level of power and traction. But juggling the machine’s “evolution” with my personal life, my writing life, and my sanity sometimes has its moments, and frankly? Sometimes I feel tired. This week I’ve had this horrid sinus complex, and it was the last straw. Yesterday, I’d completely lost my voice, and today—just as a “for instance” I was talking to an editor who kindly asked about my weekend and so forth, and I had to say, “Ohhh, gotta (cough, cough), probably (cough, cough) gooooo!” Nothing like being struck dumb by a dreadful cough, is there?

But back to the company growth factor. The neat thing about hiring a number of new people (TKA has added four new employees this year) is that it shakes off the predictability of your job. I mean, of course agenting isn’t predictable, by any means—that’s what I love about what I do, that ever-changing aspect. But you hire new people who are fully invested and excited, and it’s like moving to a new town: everything looks shiny and new again. The people we’ve brought into our team are all so vivacious and gung ho, it’s really a breath of fresh air… so why do I feel tired? Probably because I have come to the pitiful conclusion that I’m not capable of replicating myself, and I am only ONE person. It’s the modern woman’s dilemma, isn’t it?

On a totally unrelated note, tonight my daughters and I made popcorn (hubby is at the American Christian Writers Conference in Nashville—I’m a conference widow), and we decided that we would not eat any until the movie actually started. Well, this level of discipline is a wee bit of a challenge for my three year old daughter, and at one point I looked over and she’d shoved her entire face down into the bowl. Only the blonde curly back of her head poked out, as she apparently gobbled as much as she could get while “bobbing for popcorn.” I swear her little hands were even poised behind her back!

I’ve been sad not to have more time for blogging, and I almost feel like all of you, who have been such generous readers and posters, have had the patience of old friends. I do promise to come around more, and not always with a “why-god-why” style of whining about my time issues.
Hugs to all!

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

HEART OF THE DRAGON

"Sexy, funny and downright magical!" -- USA Today bestselling author Katie McAllister


Hi everyone:
Our beloved gal Gena is on tour today! Take a look...


HEART OF THE DRAGON by Gena Showalter
(HQN Books, September 2005)

He’ll make you burn…
He is a Dragon, a rare breed of warriors able to transform into the legendary creature at will. Though the mighty warlord breathes fear into the minds of his enemies and fire into the blood of his women, no one has ever stirred his heart -- until he encounters Grace Carlyle of modern day Earth. He burns to possess this proud, alluring beauty . . . but he has sworn to kill her.

Journey to the mythical world of Atlantis, where the gods’ hid their greatest mistakes – the vampires, demons, dragons, and other creatures of legend – and experience white-hot passion, exciting adventure, and a love that defies the boundaries of time and magic.

Excerpt:
http://members.cox.net/genashowalter/excerpt.htm

Cover:
http://members.cox.net/genashowalter/images/dragoncoversm.gif

ABOUT GENA SHOWALTER
Gena Showalter holds a Ph.D. in Quantum Physics (lie), is an expert in Krav Maga (bigger lie), and once worked as a body guard for the stars (the biggest lie of all). Actually, Gena Showalter is just your everyday, average girl who enjoys creating sizzling paranormal tales of kick ass women and the men who can't resist them.

REVIEWS

This romantic fantasy is a magical work where dragons take on human form and have different values than the surface dwellers. Atlantis is an exotic city populated by dragons, vampires, centaurs, and other beings of myth and legend. There is plenty of action as well as romance in the storyline as the book will appeal to a wide range of readers. Gena Showalter has the magic touch to make readers believe in what she writes. -- Harriet Klausner

(In Heart of the Dragon) Showalter pens a bold and exciting new vision of both Atlantis and dragons. Lots of danger and sexy passion give lucky readers a spicy taste of adventure and romance. – RT

Bold and witty, sexy and provocative, Gena Showalter's star is rising fast!
-- Carly Phillips, New York Times Bestselling Author

Heart of the Dragon is a bang-up twist to the old fairy tail with its dragon hero. Grace's character brings a refreshing change to the damsel in distress with her full steam ahead attitude and persistence. Ms. Showalter leads the reader on a thrilling adventure that even the coldest heart will acknowledge and love. – The Romance Reader’s Connection

Website: http://www.genashowalter.com/

Sunday, September 11, 2005

I'm Baaaack!

Hi, Gang:
Just posted my longest blog entry EVER about my trip to NYC. Be sure to go check it out on TKA's blog:
http://www.knightagency.blogspot.com

Thursday, September 08, 2005

Garden of Eden

“Jaci Burton does it again! What an amazingly hot and steamy story!” -- Fallen Angel Reviews

As you may have heard (those of you who keep up with the blog) TKA has just placed Jaci Burton’s new series with Bantam Dell (WOOHOO!). But if you just can’t wait, may I highly recommend that you pick up Jaci’s latest story, “Garden of Eden” featured in ELLORA’S CAVEMEN: LEGENDARY TAILS II. Not only one of our fine agency clients, Jaci's being a member of the OOTB you KNOW her stuff is awesome! Here’s the scoop:

“Garden of Eden” featured in ELLORA’S CAVEMEN: LEGENDARY TAILS II by Jaci Burton
(Ellora’s Cave, June 2005)

Dr. Eden Mason has spent the past hundred years orbiting the Earth in stasis. Since a nuclear war destroyed everything, she and the other inhabitants of the space pods are the only survivors of the global meltdown.

One special passenger has joined them-Adam-an alien sent to recreate what was once a thriving, beautiful planet. But Adam needs Eden to fulfill his goal, in a way she never expected.

Adam has loved Eden since he first came to Earth, but her father refused to allow him to meet her. Instead, the brilliant scientist kept Adam secluded while they engineered a way to save some of Earth's inhabitants before the inevitable destruction. Now Adam can touch Eden, taste her, love her like he's always wanted to, at the same time fulfilling his duty to revitalize the planet.

His love for her is energizing and Eden begins to hope that life on new Earth will be a lush garden of sensual pleasures. But Adam's not telling her everything that will happen, and his secret may end up destroying them both.

Excerpt:
http://www.jaciburton.com/newrelease.html#Excerpt

REVIEWS (as if you need any more convincing?!)

“Garden of Eden by Jaci Burton is a yummy little taste of fantastic science-fiction romance with beautiful balance. – eCataRomance

“Garden of Eden has a very interesting plotline. Ms. Burton gives us a very imaginative not to mention fun way for Adam to get his energy to re-create a new world. Adam and Eden are well developed characters even for a short story, and the emotional bond that develops between them is very moving and believable. With steamy sex scenes a plotline with twists and turns this one was an enjoyable read." – Cupids Library Reviews

Hooked? Then check out her website: http://www.jaciburton.com/

A little more about JACI BURTON…
Jaci Burton was born and raised in Missouri but now lives on an acre-and-a-half in Oklahoma with her husband Charlie. Jaci loves to write about passionate relationships with sometimes stormy outcomes but always a happily ever after. She’s a sucker for romance and a happy ending!

Tuesday, September 06, 2005

Off to NYC!

Yes, it's that time again. I had hoped to swing by here and produce some witty reflection on the nature of agently life. Alas, not enough time. I will, however, be making a stop at Shoegasm just for my friends on this blog.

Also, btw, we posted a link on TKA blog about a great fundraiser that's being mounted by romance designs. Be sure to check it out!

Hugs to all,
Deidre

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Walmart and the State of Southernkind

I’m determined to come back around. I miss blogging for fun, the kinds of quirkier posts I’ve made here until recently. But real life sometimes takes over, especially when you’re an overworked agent and mother and author. So here we go, coming back around with one of my rambling, “just me” posts…

I’m sitting here drinking coffee from my hot pink coffee mug, and I notice it has a big silver logo on it: Aladdin. Why Aladdin? This is someone’s company name, I suppose, but it strikes me that my coffee cup is meant to take me away on a magic carpet. Yet here I am, at my desk, hammering emails out to editors, clients, employees and fellow agents. Just past nine and I have probably sent 50 emails. Just past nine and I find myself wishing, yet again, that I could duplicate myself. Some days I work along, my brain frantically arriving at agenting thoughts and ideas—and writing thoughts and ideas--and I literally crave self-duplication! I want to be more than me so I can do all the things in this lifetime that are out there!

Aladdin, take me away! Aladdin, duplicate my brain and body!

No, I’m not losing it, but neither do I feel that I have to self-edit so much on this blog. An editor asked me recently, “Why do you need two blogs?” I could hear amusement in her voice—slight, but it was there. I had to explain that each blog had its own purpose. The agency blog can’t have my meanderings about coffee mugs or blackberrys or my kids. This one’s for me, a place where I can let it allllll hang out, baby.

And that brings me to Walmart. How, you may ask? Well for about two months I’ve been wanting to pose my Walmart theories here, and haven’t even had time to put it on paper. So here we go. Walmart, I have decided, is the southerner’s hive mind. This fact was confirmed for me yesterday during the tornado warnings when report after report on the television included some person with a BIGTIME Southern accent relaying their tornado sighting in relation to the Great Corporate Obelisk: Walmart. As in, “We was driving over to Walmart to pick up Jimmy, and I looked up, and there it was! A big funnel, just there (thair) in the sky!” Or, “We were there in Walmart, just shopping, and suddenly this man comes over the loudspeaker saying, ‘Code black! Code black! All shoppers and the employees head to the middle of the store!’ And we were in there, and the roof was just ashaking!”

Walmart and its relation to small town America is a novel unto itself. I think especially here in the South, where the appearance of Super Walmart in my town of 3500 people was like the arrival of the first automobile. Everyone converged on the place, and you couldn’t move one aisle without bumping into someone you knew. But it puts me into a brain fog. Too much brightness, too many choices, too narrow aisles. I stumble through there in a fugue state. I should be excited, now that I can purchase and acquire goods without restriction, but I think it just freaks my brain out.

Or, maybe my brain isn’t hardwired for hive-minding. Too bad—I could accomplish a heck of a lot more every day if I could truly brainshare.

Good day.

Monday, August 29, 2005

We are here! We are here!

And don't boil this dust speck of a blogger. I promise I haven't drifted away for good. I've been missing my blog time, but life has been very hectic and crazy. Today that translates to a lot of tornado activity as a result of being in the south and getting hurricane "spill off."

Right now our town is under a hurricane warning. They keep sounding an alarm on the square, which--I'm sorry, but it's true--sounds way too WWII not to be freaky. Even if the sky is light and no wind, I still want to grab my kids and run for the downstairs.

Sigh. I hope all of our friends in the Louisiana and Miss area are okay. Check in when you can!
Hugs, Deidre

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

HEART CHOICE by Robin D. Owens

Hi gang:
I must say that I am so proud to have one of my agency’s clients on tour today. Robin is a fantastic writer, obviously with her being named 2003 Writer of the Year by the Denver Area Science Fiction Association, Writer of the Year by Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers in 2004, and winning a RITA for the Celta series. If you like this one, be sure to pick up the whole collection. So here’s a little bit about it:


HEART CHOICE by Robin D. Owens

Click on the cover to buy the book!

Publisher: Berkley (July 5, 2005)
Tracker Straif Blackthorn has returned to Druida City after his last rescue mission, intending to repair his home and resume the noble duties he abandoned at seventeen, when he lost his family to disease. He's futilely searched Celta for a cure.

But he may be too late! A secret enemy schemes to claim his title, his lands, and destroy the woman he loves. As an interior designer Mitchella Clover dreamt of someone saying "no expense spared." Unfortunately it's a wildly attractive GreatLord who offers her the chance of a lifetime - to restore an ancient showplace.

She knows she can never give Straif what he truly wants, but can she resist him? The job isn't easy. Both the sentient Residence and Straif's new snobbish Fam cat have remodeling ideas, and Mitchella's ward instantly dislikes Straif.

Everyone's back! Characters from HeartMate, Heart Thief and Heart Duel appear to help renovate the Residence, solve the mystery, give advice on the perfect duel - or meddle. And the first baby of the next generation is born...

Excerpt:
http://www.robindowens.com/images/HeartChoiceWebsite.pdf

ABOUT ROBIN D. OWENS
Robin D. Owens has been seriously writing longer than she cares to recall, but is very happy with how her writing career is proceeding. She was named the Writer of the Year by Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers in 2004, and 2003 Writer of the Year by the Denver Area Science Fiction Association. Robin has been the librarian, contest co-chair, and President of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. She has given seminars at Pikes Peak Writers Conference, the Colorado Gold Writers Conference, and Romance Writers of America as well as other groups.

REVIEWS
“Character driven story, brilliant dialogue...Terrific writing with a very realistic and sensual romance, make HEART CHOICE a fantastic read”
-- Jani Brooks, Romance Reviews Today

"Dara Joy fans, rejoice! Robin Owens has created a unique world of her own…fun and sexy."
-- Anne Avery

Website: http://www.robindowens.com

In the Realm of the Highly Disturbing...

I found this tonight. Ewww, so creepy! What do you guys think??
D

freaky link for all the agents out there

Thursday, August 18, 2005

BEYOND CONTROL by Rebecca York


BEYOND CONTROL by Rebecca York
(Berkley, August 2005)
BEYOND CONTROL, by Rebecca York, tells the story of telepaths who discover and develop their powers only when they sexually link with another of their kind.
Jordan Walker and Lindsay Fleming meet at a Washington, D. C., cocktail party. When they touch, they experience an electric moment of psychic awareness. As they explore the unique bond forming between them, they discover that the more intimate their contact, the more their psychic powers develop.

As with York’s Moon books, Lindsay and Jordan must work out their personal relationship against a background of danger and suspense after they stumble onto his murder cover-up at a secret biological weapons lab. At the same time, two other telepaths who want all the psychic goodies for themselves set out to wipe Jordan and Lindsay from the face of the earth.
Rebecca York says that, "Publishers wouldn’t touch a story with this unique blend of suspense and sensuality 15 years ago. But the characters and the plot wouldn’t let me go, so I held onto them until the time was right."


Read Excerpt


ABOUT REBECCA YORK

Ever since she can remember, Ruth Glick has loved making up stories full of adventure, romance and suspense. As a child she corralled her friends into adventure games or acted out romantic suspense stories with a cast of dolls. But she never assumed she could be an author, because she couldn't spell. Her life changed, however, with the invention of the word processor and spelling checker--and the help of her husband, Norman Glick, who spots spelling errors from fifty paces away. Writing as Rebecca York, she has authored or co-authored over 45 romantic suspense novels, many for Harlequin Intrigue's very popular 43 Light Street series, set in Baltimore, and many with paranormal elements.

REVIEWS
WOW! This was certainly one very hot, steamy, mind boggling and exciting suspense thriller. . . an absolutely riveting tale of suspense . . . with well-developed characters, stunning sensuality and some clever twists. A truly dynamite read! --Romance Designs

BEYOND CONTROL . . . plays out on two interwoven levels. The storyline is action-packed from the opening sequence at Maple Creek and never slows down until the lead couple learns what happened there. The tale also contains a delightful romance between Jordan and Lindsay that starts off with A Strangers in the Night encounter . . . and plays out on physical and paranormal planes. .. . a strong suspense-laden romantic tale. --Harriet Klausner

Four plus, Top Pick --RT Book club

Website: http://www.rebeccayork.com

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

An Exciting Giveaway

I'm thrilled to announce my very first Deidre Knight author contest!! I'm giving away an ARC some time in November, and all you have to do to qualify is sign up for my newsletter e-group! I will have one grand prize winner, and also two great winners (prize to be determined). So, sign up for the newsletter and you might be the very first reader to pick up PARALLEL ATTRACTION!

So click here to sign up and qualify:

Deidre's Newsletter

I'm so excited! Can't wait to see who wins.
Deidre

Monday, August 15, 2005

Surreal...and Available!


So, it's that moment that every modern day author dreams about: my book is now for sale on amazon!! Now, don't go looking for it by my name, though, because as has often been the case throughout my life, my name is misspelled. :) But you CAN click through this link to pre-order my book, PARALLEL ATTRACTION, from Amazon. Which simply blows my mind!

Friday, August 12, 2005



Hi, Gang:
My buddy Lucy Monroe has a new novella out, and I thought I’d tell you guys a bit about it. Here’s the cover, which I think is great looking:

“Moon Magnetism” featured in STAR QUALITY by Lucy Monroe
(Kensington Brava, May 2005)

Ivy Kendall dreads the full moon. For generations, women in her family have been extremely magnetic on that day—which was fine fifty years ago but not in the age of hard drives and cell phones. That’s why the hotel manager has resisted the technological improvements her boss wants her to implement. Now, the sexy, dynamic Blake Hawthorne is coming to insist on the upgrades in person. Shoot, he’ll probably fire her. Being around Blake makes her body go as haywire as a full moon, maybe even more. And as long as she’s going to be out of a job soon, there’s no reason not to use a little of that magnetism to her advantage, luring him into an elevator where the only electricity that will work is the kind they generate themselves…

Excerpt:
http://www.lucymonroe.com/ExcerptsSQ.htm


ABOUT LUCY MONROE
Award winning author Lucy Monroe sold her first book in September of 2002. Since then she has sold more than 30 books to three publishers and hit national bestsellers lists in the US and England. Her highly charged, sensual stories touch on the realities of life while giving the reader a fantasy story not easily forgotten. Whether it's a passionate Harlequin Presents, a sexy single title for Kensington or a steamy historical or paranormal for Berkley, Lucy's books transport her readers to a special place where the heart rules and love conquers all.


REVIEWS
"Monroe creates a sassy heroine and gives her a delectable rogue to help solve her unusual dilemma." 4 Stars - Romantic Times
"Their [Blake & Ivy in Moon Magnetism] dialog is priceless and will keep the reader smiling throughout this wonderful tale." Reader to Reader Reviews
"Star Quality is a delightfully funny read. The common full-moon theme is pulled together masterfully by three "quality stars" of the romance genre." - Sensual Romance Reviews

Website: http://www.lucymonroe.com

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Major News! I have a cover!



First we had the back cover copy, and now... drum roll... MY COVER!!! I have to admit, I am just bouncing around about this like a little maniac. It's a dream come true, and I think they did a fabulous job with it! Let me know what you think.

Saturday, August 06, 2005

Every Been DYING for a Great Critique?

Then check out this list, which will be expanded in coming days. It's part of the Marianne Mancusi fundraiser, who as many of you already know, lost her home to fire during the recent RWA. Click here to read about the items that are available, including critiques from The Knight Agency, Chris Keeslar of Dorchester, and many others.

All proceeds will go to Marianne, who lost everything in the recent fire. As you can imagine, there's a lot for her to rebuild.

Again, click here to find out more about bidding on a critique from our agency, and from many other industry professionals.

Hugs, Deidre

Wednesday, August 03, 2005

We Need to Rally Around Marianne Mancusi

Marianne is one of our blog circuit authors in Out of the Blogosphere. She's a friend to many online writers, and right now she needs our help. Marianne lost everything in a fire during RWA when her home was struck by lightning. We have a powerful tool in our possession with the Net, and some great people are swinging into action. Please visit The Literary Chicks to see how you can help Marianne.


Thanks!
Deidre

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Correct link

The correct link for the article below about Shari is:

Help Shari

Reno... and an Important Announcement

Hi, Gang:
Tomorrow morning I'm heading out! Going to Reno for the RWA annual convention, and I will post an update with lots of romance industry news once I return. But meanwhile, I saw this post on Jolie in NYC. Jolie's been in the news lately because last week she lost her job at a top beauty magazine after she was "outted" as being a well-read anonymous blogger (sort of like if Mad Max were suddenly revealed.)

Anyway, just happened to see her post tonight about this publicist in need of a new liver.

31-Year-Old Shari Kurzrok Will Die Unless She Receives Complete Liver Within Days

NEW YORK (July 20, 2005) – Shari Kurzrok is two months away from her wedding. The 31-year-old PR executive recently spearheaded the American Red Cross’ largest-ever blood donor campaign. Today, she is fighting for her life. Her doctors say she will not live if she doesn’t receive a complete liver transplant within days, and her colleagues in the PR industry are urgently mobilizing to help her.

“I just pray that what Shari has loved to do for a living comes back to help her,” says her fiancée Robby Schnall, 35, a marketing executive at Cole Haan. Their wedding is planned for October 15 at Woodbury Jewish Center in Long Island.

Shari’s sudden illness has taken her family, friends and doctors by surprise. She was admitted to New York University Medical Center last weekend, and within 24 hours she was told she needed a liver transplant to save her life. Her illness is still unexplained.

Kym White, managing director of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, says the news has shaken Shari’s colleagues and friends, as well as the extended communications industry. All are quickly rallying to spread the word through PR and advertising in order to draw attention to Shari’s plight. “Shari is a phenomenal friend and colleague, and it is hard to imagine that someone who only recently led the largest-ever blood donor initiative for the American Red Cross with such energy and enthusiasm, is now in vital need of a liver donation.”

Shari led the 345-city Save-a-Life-Tour, which featured two convoys that traveled across the country to raise awareness about the importance of regular blood donation and to attract new donors including a younger and more ethnically diverse demographic. The campaign collected more than 3.2 million pints of blood and registered more than 38,000 new potential donors. Kamenna Lee, Director, Sales & Marketing for the American Red Cross, said, "Shari poured her heart, soul and life into one of our largest initiatives and truly helped save lives."

Now Shari’s family and friends hope that just one person can help save Shari’s life. Shari is a native of Great Neck, Long Island, and the daughter of Gloria and Mort Kurzrok. Her father says, “This is a race against time. We want to draw attention not only to Shari’s cause, but also to the urgent, ongoing need that challenge families like us every day.”

Potential donors must be Type A or Type O blood. A directed donation is when a donor family opts to donate an organ directly to a specific individual. Donor families often make the decision to donate organs during times of grief and shock; however, organ donation is a chance for something positive to come out of a tragedy. Anyone wanting to help Shari with a complete liver transplant referral should call: 877-223-3386 or email: liverforalife@yahoo.com For more information go to www.helpshari.typepad.com

Friday, July 22, 2005

Romancing the Blog

FYI, gang, my July column is up over on Romancing the Blog. Be sure to check it out!
Thanks, Deidre

Thursday, July 21, 2005

Back Cover Copy for PARALLEL ATTRACTION

I'm so excited! I have my back cover copy, and any day now (literally) I will have my cover art. I think they did a great job (it was written by my editor, Louisa Edwards)on the copy. What do you guys think? Is this a book that would grab you based on the back cover?? :)

Here it is, back cover copy for PARALLEL ATTRACTION:

Parallel Attraction
Deidre Knight

“A fantastic and riveting new voice in paranormal fiction.”—Karen Marie Moning, New York Times bestselling author of Spell of the Highlander

From a “fantastic and riveting new voice in paranormal fiction”* comes a thrilling debut novel of danger and passion, and a love that will cross all boundaries of time and space.

It has been years since exiled alien king Jared Bennett thought of anything other than his people’s fight for freedom. Now his rebel force has the one weapon that can turn the tide against their enemy: the key to the secrets of time. Victory has never been closer—but one woman has the power to change everything.

Kelsey Wells can’t deny that there is something unearthly about her fierce attraction to Jared Bennett. His revelations about alien wars and time travel can’t possibly be fact—yet with every seductive touch, every searing kiss, Kelsey circles closer to the truth: that although Jared is exactly what he says, he hasn’t told her everything. And when the future crashes into the present, Kelsey must decide if his deception will cost them the love that should have been their destiny.

“At times humorous, at others heart-wrenching, but always compelling, Deidre Knight offers readers a fresh, wonderfully creative glimpse at the complexity of human decisions. What a page-turner!”—Gena Showalter, Author of Awaken Me Darkly

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

Reading Envy! UNDEAD AND UNAPPRECIATED

Okay, so I've got serious reading envy this week. I'm promoing two books--the Julie Kenner book and then now MaryJanice Davidson's UNDEAD AND UNAPPRECIATED. Envy, you say? Yeah, because I haven't had time to read for fun in the past few weeks. I want time to pick these books up!

Here's more on MaryJanice's release:

UNDEAD AND UNAPPRECIATED by MaryJanice Davidson
(Berkley, July 2005)

Most women would love to live as royalty, but Betsy Taylor has found that being vampire queen has more problems than perks, except for always being awake for Midnight Madness sales. It may be easy to find blood (yuck) in the dark of night, but try finding a strawberry smoothie. And employees at her nightclub Scratch have been giving her nothing but grief since she killed their former boss. Some people...

But Betsy's "life" takes an interesting turn at a baby shower for her wicked stepmother, who lets it slip that Betsy has a long-last half sister. Now twenty years old, this woman just so happens to be the devil's daughter...and destined to rule the world.

Here's an excerpt.



ABOUT MARYJANICE DAVIDSON
MaryJanice Davidson has written in a variety of different genres, including contemporary romance, paranormal romance, erotica, and nonfiction.

MJ is the best-selling author of several romance novels, including UNDEAD AND UNWED and HELLO GORGEOUS. Her first hardcover, UNDEAD AND UNAPPRECIATED, will be out in July. Her books have been on the USA Today best seller list, as well as the New York Times list. Starting in July, she has a release every month through February. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, two children, and dog, and is secretly addicted to Peanut Buster Parfaits.


REVIEWS
An amusing vampiric chick lit amateur sleuth tale worth sinking your teeth into. – Midwest Book Review

Davidson's witty dialogue, fast pacing, smart plotting, laugh-out-loud humor, and sexy relationships make this a joy to read. – Booklist

A hilarious rompful of goofy twists and turns, great fun for fans of humorous vampire romance. – Locus

MaryJanice Davidson is at her humorous biting best with this devilish tale of our favorite vampiress since Vampirella started seeking a blood relation. -- Harriet Klausner, BarnesandNoble.com

Entertaining, wicked and delightful -- Romance Reviews Today

Chick lit meets vampire action in this creative, sophisticated, sexy and wonderfully witty book. -- Catherine Spangler


Website: http://www.maryjanicedavidson.net

Technology Crash Test Dummy

That would be me. My server was down today, and so it appears that only *some* of the emails sent to me today from 9 am until 3 pm were received. So, if you contacted me--at any of my addresses, submissions or otherwise, please send the correpondence again. The last thing we need is more lost email around here! :)

Deidre (posting this on both blogs!)

Monday, July 18, 2005

My Vote For a VERY Clever Title: CARPE DEMON by Julie Kenner


From the moment I heard about this book and its title, I was curious. And envious (in a good, agently way) because it's one heck of a fantastic title!! :) Julie is a wonderful writer, and I actually had the pleasure to judge her work in a contest years ago, before she had published. That original manuscript immediately caught my eye because her work had a wonderful sparkle and humor to it that is a rare find among unpublished authors.

I haven't yet read her latest masterpiece, but I have no doubt that I will absolutely love it when I do. I plan to order my own copy pronto, and would encourage all of you to do the same. Once I have the chance to read more, will give further reporting here.

CARPE DEMON: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner
(Berkley, July 2005)

Carpools. Crabgrass. Creatures from the depths of hell. Suburbia has its problems too...
Lots of women put their careers aside once the kids come along. Kate Connor, for instance, hasn't hunted a demon in ages...
That must be why she missed the one wandering through the pet food aisle of the San Diablo Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, he managed to catch her attention an hour later-when he crashed into the Connor house, intent on killing her.
Now Kate has to clean up the mess in her kitchen, dispose of a dead demon, and pull together a dinner party that will get her husband elected to County Attorney-all without arousing her family's suspicion. Worse yet, it seems the dead demon didn't come alone. He was accompanied by a High Demon named Goramesh who, for some unknown reason, intends to kill off the entire population of San Diablo.
It's time for Kate Connor to go back to work.

CARPE DEMON: ADVENTURES OF A DEMON-HUNTING SOCCER MOM has been optioned for film by Warner Brothers & 1492 Pictures, and is scheduled for release as an audiobook from BBC America Audiobooks.

In addition, CARPE DEMON was recently honored by being selected by BOOKSENSE as a Summer 2005 Paperback Pick.


ABOUT JULIE KENNER
Julie Kenner is a USA Today bestselling author. She is also a former attorney who lives with her husband and daughter.


REVIEWS
"I loved CARPE DEMON! It was great fun; wonderfully clever... ninety-nine percent of the wives and moms in the country will identify with this heroine. I mean, like who hasn't had to battle demons between car-pools and play-dates?" -- Jayne Ann Krentz, New York Times bestselling author of Falling Awake
"As if having a teenager and a toddler weren't challenge enough, Kate Connor has other problems, too. Take kids to best friend's house, check. Clean house for budding politician husband's party, check. Kill the demon coming in through the window, check. Then hide the body and put on a little black dress...This book, as crammed with events as any suburban mom's calendar, shows you what would happen if Buffy got married and kept her past a secret. It's a hoot." --Charlaine Harris, USA Today bestselling author of Dead to the World
"Smart, fast-paced, unique--a blend of sophistication and wit that has you laughing outloud!" --Christine Feehan, New York Times bestselling author of Oceans of Fire

"[A] sprightly, fast-paced ode to kick-ass housewives..." – Publishers Weekly

Website: http://www.juliekenner.com

I'm Back and an Important Warning

Hi, Gang!
I'm back from my vacation, and staying up late trying to answer my, uh, over 900 emails. Much more tomorrow, but I just wanted to link to an important warning post on my agency blog.
Hugs! Deidre

http://knightagency.blogspot.com/2005/07/extremely-important-warning-regarding.html

Saturday, July 09, 2005

The Determined Face of the Writer

That is, determined to finish her revisions. I don’t have a snapshot for this one, but picture me here, in my t-shirt and shorts and wearing what my honey lovingly calls my “birth control glasses.” I am rationing out my visits to the Net and e-mail like little chocolates to a prisoner. You wrote two pages? Here, little writer prisoner girl, you may see what’s happening in cyberspace—come to the cyber window! Oh, you are approaching the end of that scene? Then, for being a very good girl, you may check your agency queries. What? No progress? Then log off of Outlook, naughty lady.

That, my friends, is how I’m spending my Saturday. How about you guys?
Deidre

Friday, July 08, 2005

Some of My Author Headshot Pictures

I'm tempted to save my final, final picture I chose, but I have no will. Actually, since I'm still picking, here are the major contenders at this point, and then a few fun ones just for good measure. Let me know what you think!! I am bouncing, bouncing, of course. Call me Girl of No Will.

Choice #1--the leading favorite






Choice #2--Another close favorite, but too serious for this kind of book (I think)





Choice #3--What everyone keeps calling Deidre's "I've got a secret" picture. This is a close tie with number one.



For Website--these two will be great on the site, especially the dying laughing one, which--if you know me at all--isn't a surprising picture. I personally love this one to the left, which I keep calling the "Sarah Maclachlan" shot. It's all atmospheric and poetic, like I'm a Great Woman o' Mystery. (rolls voice: yeaaaah, right)





So let me know what you think. I am almost certain I will use the first shot, but the "I've got a secret" shot is still tempting. Perhaps that should be my agent conference headshot.

Anyway, had to share! Deidre

Tuesday, July 05, 2005


Angela's cover didn't show up big enough. I wanted to show it with a larger view. Let's see if THIS works!

Angela Knight's MASTER OF THE MOON


Hi, Gang:
As part of our fabulous Out of the Blogosphere promo circuit, I'm hosting Angela Knight's MASTER OF THE MOON for the next few days. I love this cover! And although I've yet to dive into this terrific sounding book, it sounds great too. Here's a little bit about it below:


MASTER OF THE MOON by Angela Knight
(Berkley Sensation, May 2005)

Diana London works hard in her day job as the city manager of a small South Carolina town. Yet she still finds time to moonlight for the Verdaville Police Department.

As a werewolf.

But while helping the police investigate a brutal murder, Diana discovers she’s not the only magical creature in town. A female vampire has also decided to make Verdaville her murderous playground. What’s worse, she has powers even Diana can’t match.

Fortunately, Diana is not the only one determined to stop her. Llyr Galatyn is the king of the Cachamwri Sidhe – a seductive otherworldly warrior with fantastic abilities. He’s sworn to hunt down the murderer, and he’s more than willing to give Diana any help she needs.

And not just with the case. Diana is in her Burning Moon, a time of sexual heat, when need rides her hard. Llyr is delighted to be the answer to her erotic prayers.

But as they hunt the vampire while desire runs hot between them, a deadly enemy urges the killer to turn her sights on Llyr. It seems Llyr isn’t the only king of the Sidhe – and his brother wants him dead.

Excerpt:
http://www.angelasknights.com/masterofthemoon.htm


ABOUT ANGELA KNIGHT
Angela Knight's first book was written in pencil and illustrated in crayon; she was nine years old at the time. But her mother was enthralled, and Angela was hooked.
In the years that followed, Angela managed to figure out a way to make a living -- more or less -- at what she loved best: writing. After a short career as a comic book writer, she became a newspaper reporter, covering everything from school board meetings to murders. Several of her stories won South Carolina Press Association awards under her real name. For more of Angela’s interesting bio, visit her website: http://angelasknights.com/bio.htm

REVIEWS

MASTER OF THE MOON, a Berkley Sensation novel, got a 4 ½ stars and a Top Pick from RT. It also spent three weeks on the USA Today bestseller list, and was #1 on the Waldens Romance List for three weeks.

Another Angela Knight novel, THE FOREVER KISS, won the 2004 RT’s Critic’s Choice award for Best Erotic Romance.

Romantic Times Review:

“Picking up the storyline where MASTER OF THE NIGHT left off, Knight’s latest packs in tons more passion, danger and sizzling sensuality. While her novels are scorchingly hot, knight also manages to keep the stories intriguing and balanced.” – Jim M Smith, Romantic Times Bookclub Magazine.

Website: http://www.angelasknights.com

Thursday, June 30, 2005

Days When Your Brain Isn't Firing On All Cylinders

Okay, for the past two days whenever I write a post or an email or anything, I swear it seems that it comes out unintelligible. Now, could that just be because I dropped all yeast/sugar/processed sugar etc out of my diet—plus went for lowering my daily caffeine intake? But what’s up with that, really? It all seems to make perfect sense in my head, but when I read back over the communication, it’s all a mish mash.

Jud gets Men’s Fitness and there’s an article in there about how you can tell how healthy your brain is by how long you can stand on one foot with your eyes closed. Sounds easy, right? Try it. I could go like seven seconds. Now I think I must be losing my mind. Men around my age should be able to go 15-20 seconds, but they listed no findings on women. Can I not stand on one foot with my eyes closed because I’m on a yeast free diet?

I hate dietary changes. They make me feel PMS and strange. Or, wait… maybe I am just PMS and strange. That too.

I fear even attempting to write anything real right now, and yet I'm dying to be writing on my second book. It just seems pointless if my emails are hardly sensible and I can’t stand on one foot. What do you think?
Deidre

Mel attracts tiaras like some flowers attract...butterflies!

I failed to identify the *adorable* Angie Gerbing on the last post. This is Angie and Lisa (Angie on left, Lisa on right) and I think it's about 1:00 am. I was delighted to make these new friends--and to reconnect with a very good OLD friend! :)

Now, truthfully, this is one of the most hideous pictures ever taken of me. We dubbed it "the Blair Witch Picture." I kept saying, "It was all my fault. I'm so scared." But I figure if Liz Maverick can post such great, fun (and uncensored pics) on her blog, hey, so can I!

Can you tell how hard we're all laughing here?

A Grand Time Was Had By All


This past weekend I had a fabulous time with my old friend, Lisa Stone Hardt. Lisa and I worked together with Karen Marie Moning once upon a time. Lisa bought Karen's first novel from me when she was at Dell, so you could say we both discovered her! That's Lisa on the right and my new and wonderful friend, Mel Francis on the left. Notice the Accidental Tiara. More pics to follow next.