Hello, everyone.

My excuse for being a little bit late with the June issue is that I've been submerged in A MOST UNSUITABLE MAN for the past few weeks. This is the spin-off from WINTER FIRE, featuring Ashart’s friend, Octavius Fitzroger, and the “jilted” heiress, Damaris Myddleton. It opens with her trying to run away from the scene of her embarrassment. Of course Fitz persuades her to return – but then things get complicated.

I always need a deep immersion phase for the final clean-up and polish, and I like to read over the book in various forms. In this case, I’ve read it through on my usual writing computer (a 486 DOS one!) then in print, then on my new laptop. (That’s very nice, by the way. I haven’t had a modern laptop before, only a -- you guessed it – ancient 486 DOS one. Well, it did make moving files back and forth easy. This one is much easier to read text on, plus when I’ve been working too hard I can watch a DVD, as I did on the plane to Tulsa when the in-flight movie was a dud. Sometimes modern technology really is a good thing.)

Anyway, I'm very happy with this book, in which Fitz is mysterious (a scandal in his past,) Damaris is forthright (why shouldn't a wealthy woman marry for looks and charm?) and Rothgar is his inimitable self. There’s also a lurking killer and a mystery from the distant past that threatens the stability of the nation.

It's scheduled for February 2005 and we're working on the cover now. I've put up a sneak peek at the first run. I specifically asked for something like Three Heroes, and they came through! The background's fuzzy because we're still working on that, and he's going to get some more 18th century clothing, but I think it's smashing, to use an English term. Let me know what you think. A Most Unsuitable Man cover

It was great to meet some of you in Tulsa. I hope anyone in the Dallas area is planning to attend the Romance Writers of America booksale and signing in aid of literacy. It's free to enter, though of course everyone hopes you'll spend lots on books. (Hint. Some readers come with wheelie suitcases!) The books are donated by the publishers, no one gets paid to be there, so all the money goes to literacy.

Details? "Wednesday, July 28, 2004 The Adam's Mark Hotel RWA’s “Readers for Life” Literacy Booksigning (5:30 – 8:30 p.m.) --More than 450 authors sign their books and sell them to raise money to fight illiteracy. This is the only Conference event open to the public. "

For those of you who are booksellers or librarians, there's a special program for you on Wednesday. Check it out.Librarian and Bookseller Day

RWA has a genre-building program going on at the moment. Have We Got A Story For You! Romance covers are being shown in selected movie theatres, and viewers are being invited to follow up by visiting a related web page. Movie screen program

Three Heroes is one of the covers being displayed. Of course we all hope this will show people the variety available in romance fiction and draw in some readers who are missing out on all the fun.

My only other "appearance" this year will be on the romance cruise in October. I'm going to be hosting an evening in a Regency gaming hell, explaining some of the games and giving people a chance to win prizes. Details of the cruise.

Here’s a list of recent and upcoming books. You can find more detail on these books on my web page. Recent and Upcoming Books
Feb 2004, a story in IRRESISTIBLE FORCES.
March 2004, SECRETS OF THE NIGHT (reissue)
May 2004 SKYLARK
June 2004, THREE HEROES (three-in-one reissue)
Nov 2004 WINTER FIRE (reissue)
Dec 2004 DANGEROUS JOY (reissue)
Jan 2005 SOMETHING WICKED (reissue)
Feb 2005 A MOST UNSUITABLE MAN
Aug 2005 FORBIDDEN MAGIC (reissue)
Remember, if an in-print book is not on the bookstore shelves, the store can order it for you at no extra charge. This can be beneficial for the author because the store will often order in a few copies and then the title will be on the shelves for the next reader looking for it.

Belated happy Canada Day to my fellow Canadians, and a happy Fourth of July to the Americans here. ::imaginary fireworks:: I don’t think the UK has a national holiday until the August Bank Holiday. To all others, enjoy the early days of summer. Or winter, if you're in the southern hemisphere. My, the global village makes things complicated!

Happy reading,

Jo

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