Good morning everyone!
It's June Newsletter time and I'm returning to you from sunny, bustling, *exhausting* Daytona Beach, where the Romantic Times convention was held.
I met readers, visited with authors who I don't see often enough, took a ton of photos (which are on my site under the photo section), avoided parties (I'm a teetotaler and a stick in the mud to boot), walked on the beach (which was lovely!), attended two booksignings (one that was 4 ½ hours long!), did a radio interview, and...
Ta dum - I received the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Contemporary Romance. Wow.
Color me dumbstruck. And tickled pink. And very grateful to Romantic Times for putting on such an incredible event.
The thing is, I'm so busy right now that I had to do some work while in Daytona, and that helped me come to a decision. I'm cancelling on the RWA convention in Atlanta . My apologies to anyone who hoped to visit with me there, or get their books signed. I really do need to keep my tired tush at home so I can get caught up and then (with any luck) spend some quiet time just hanging out with the family.
More fun news! I have a title for my Berkley book. "CAUSING HAVOC."
Why that title, you ask? Well, readers have told me how much they like having the hero's name in the title. It helps them distinguish the books. My hero is Dean Conor, but he's known as "Havoc" in the ring. No, there won't be any professional fights within the story, but a guy who can handle himself as well as Havoc does just makes the absolute perfect Alpha hero. So far, the release date for this book will be February 07. Yes, I know, that's a while off. Thus is publishing... so much is done well in advance of the release.
But speaking of Ultimate Fighting (I was, right?) here's a link for those of you who:
a.) doubt the authenticity of the fights.
Man, nothing burns me more than hearing someone liken the UFC and Pride to WWF. (No disrespect intended to WWF)
Honest people, I wouldn't lie to you. The UFC and Pride features mixed martial arts competition between high-level professional fighters who utilize the disciplines of jiu-jitsu, karate, boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, and other forms in live events. "Ultimate Fighters" are among the best-trained and conditioned athletes in the world. The fighters come from the US , Canada , Brazil , Japan , Russia , Holland , England , etc. All if the fighters have previous combat sports experience and many are world or Olympic champions.
b.) think they wouldn't be interested because it's a "guy" sport.
Oh honey, let me tell ya! Talk about an Alpha. Some of the guys are plain out homely with their cauliflower ears, scars, and tattoos. Others are supremely dishy. But nearly all of them are controlled, polite, powerful, and built... can you say muscles on muscles?
It always fascinates me when one fighter knocks out another, or in some other way disables his opponent, then once he's declared the winner, he checks on him with very real concern. Good sportsmanship and respect for a peer is a very sexy thing!
c) think there's too much gore to watch. Well, yeah, sometimes it's pretty bloody. I can't help you much with that one. But often the win is a knockout without a speck of blood. Even more often, the win is through a submission where the opponent "taps out" to keep from getting a limb broken. I have seen a few broken body parts. But usually the guys have enough sense to admit defeat before it gets that far. ;-)
So my readers, check it out at http://60.ufc.com and be prepared to be fascinated. (Personally, I'm betting on Gracie to win!) If that piques your interest, then venture on to www.ufc.com and scope out the fighters.
If after all that you're still squeamish, pretty please remember that I don't write any actual professional fights within the stories. I just give my heroes the attitude that comes with great discipline and "protect what's mine" ability. Yum-meee!
So what's happening until CAUSING HAVOC hits the stands? Well, BAD BOYS OF SUMMER is on the shelves right now and I'm hopeful that you'll enjoy it. You can check out an excerpt on my website. My novella, LUSCIOUS, features a sexy SWAT hero and a tempting twin. If you note the dedication in that story, you'll see that I interviewed an actual SWAT hero for my research. And know what? He read the book! He said he meant to just peek inside, and next thing he knew he was done. He even told me that if he wasn't so happily married, he might not mind living the life of my hero. Ha!
On August 29th, MURPHY'S LAW (a sequel to JUDE'S LAW) will be released. I'm incredibly anxious to hear reader reaction to that one, and I'm nervously hoping it'll live up to your expectations.
In October, watch for the mass market reissue of THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
Also in October, A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS (with another SWAT guy and the twin from BAD BOYS OF SUMMER.)
Lastly in November is SANTA BABY, featuring reissued novellas from Carly Phillips and me, and a new novella from Jennifer Crusie.
More fun news!
(Yeah, I'm just chock full of fun this month)
I was invited to join some of my absolute favorite authors in a blog.
Check out www.runningwithquills.com and be prepared to chuckle. Jayne Ann Krentz, Stella Cameron, Elizabeth Lowell and Suzanne Simmons are terrific ladies, and I'm enjoying myself a lot.
(By the way, I did a blog there on the Romantic Times convention. Peek in at the photos I added there!)
Updates on the June 06 READER/AUTHOR GET TOGETHER!
Registration is now CLOSED!
Wow. When I wrote this newsletter, we had 150 guests, 48 of them authors, but the final count may be a bit more.
The featured item for the Get Together this month is a great tote bag with a design of covers on the front, and urls on the back. See it on my websites, or at www.cafepress.com/lorifoster under the "Get Together" banner.
Watch the Get Together page - http://www.lorifoster.com/AnnualGetTogether.htm - for upcoming photos and a tally of the amount we donate to the Battered Women's shelter.
I still have some bookmarks and book covers free to anyone who sends me a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope. A regular sized business envelope is fine for bookmarks, but if you want a book cover, I'll need an envelope at least 7" x 9".
Available book covers are: "A Very Merry Christmas," and "Murphy's Law," which is a stepback.
You can send your SASE to me at:
Lori Foster
P.O. Box 854
Ross OH 45061-- Please remember, I do my best to answer all the mail that I receive, but I can answer a lot quicker if you always include a SASE. Thanks!
That's it from me. I hope your May flowers are now blooming!
Hugs!
Feb - JUDE'S LAW, Kensington single title
Mar - WILDLY WINSTON, Berkley anthology & single title trade reissue
Apr - WHEN GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO BAD BOYS, Kensington anthology
June - BAD BOYS OF SUMMER, Kensington anthology
Sept - MURPHY'S LAW, Kensington single title
