The Library Journal review of PERFECT KISSES:

By Kristin Ramsdell — Library Journal, 6/15/2007
Summer Satisfaction

While I would never slander any of these titles by labeling them mere “beach books,” most of these romances are great choices for vacation reading, whatever the location. Sweet or sexy, funny or touching, suspenseful or heartwarming, modern or historical, these stories take readers everywhere—and anytime—imaginable and are as diverting as they come. Nothing is impossible, and there’s something for every taste. So grab a book and a glass of iced tea, put your feet up, and get set for some rejuvenating mental R & R.

Johnson, Susan & others. Perfect Kisses. Brava: Kensington. Jul. 2007. 336p. ISBN 978-0-7582-0941-2. pap. $15. HISTORICAL

Spanning the early to mid-19th century, these three explicit stories from some of the more noted authors of erotic romance begin with “perfect kisses” and end, not unexpectedly, with something more. In Johnson’s School for Scandal, a protective, young school mistress targets a rake who intends to take advantage of her sister, but she ends up attracted instead. In Sylvia Day’s Mischief and the Marquess, the protagonists agree to thwart the matrimonial plans of their mothers—in very creative ways—and end up falling for each other. Finally, a cache of gems hidden in a corset is central in Noelle Mack’s lively The Ruby Kiss.

Very cool!! I’ve heard of sightings all over the country and several readers emailed to say they’ve read it already. The official release date is still a week away, though… *g*

All About Romance wrote a verra nice review about my upcoming anthology with Susan Johnson:

likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/anthReview.pl?AnthReviewId=228

My first-ever RT Top Pick, given to PASSION FOR THE GAME:

“Day pulls out all the stops, juggling sizzling romance with high suspense and intrigue. The tangled threads of her plot are intricately woven with strands of in-depth characterization. Not only does Day titillate readers, she grabs them with a strong story and doesn’t let go.”
- Kathe Robin, Romantic Times BOOKreviews

And more fun news!

Rhapsody Book Club named PLEASURES OF THE NIGHT the “Editor’s Choice” and I’m showcased in their catalog as a “Rising Star”! Way cool!

Rhapsody editor, Gina Bernal, says:

“In Pleasures of the Night, one of my favorite new voices in super sexy romance, Sylvia Day, proves that the man of your dreams might be just that! Enjoy!”

Thank you, Gina!

Not much going on for me at the moment besides work, work, and more work. *g* My life is boring and I have nothing more to share. I had lunch with my mom and we went to the bookstore where she bought The Blonde Geisha by Jina Bacarr. I told her to pick it up, because I think she’ll like it. I ordered some new books, though I don’t have the time to read any of them. I just can’t help it. There are so many books I want to read!

I received good news about ASK FOR IT today, though, which was very nice!

“Ask For It is an exciting read, filled with the erotically intense passion and deeply developed characters fans of Sylvia Day are rapidly coming to expect. The love scenes will leave readers breathless, while the tautly written mystery makes the pages fly past. From cover to cover, Sylvia Day has written the most exciting historical of the decade.

“Read Ask For It now! And keep it around - you’re going to want to read it again, and again, and again.” - Karen, Romance Divas

Wow! Thank you, Karen. I’m thrilled.

I also received a lovely email from an Australian bookseller who wanted to let me know that AFI is selling “extremely well” in her store. Always wonderful to hear.

I wish I had something universally interesting to share (instead of just stuff that interests me), but I’m a hermit at the moment until I meet these early September deadlines.

I’m thinking of you all, though. ((hugs))

I’m happy dancing!!

Ask for It.
Day, Sylvia (author).
Aug. 2006. 320p. Kensington, $14 (0-7582-1472-3).
REVIEW. First published August, 2006 (Booklist).

Even though it had been four years since his fiancée, Elizabeth, scandalously jilted him at the altar, Marcus Ashford, the Earl of Westfield, had never forgotten her. Now the widow Lady Hawthorne, Elizabeth is free of any matrimonial bonds, and Marcus is determined to pursue her. When Marcus discovers that Elizabeth is in danger because of the coded diary left behind by her late husband, Marcus insists on being the one to protect Elizabeth since it will provide him with the perfect opportunity to seduce her into admitting he is the only man for her. Day expertly crafts a potent sense of sexual chemistry between her irresistibly arrogant, sinfully sexy hero and the one woman clever enough to be his equal. With its surfeit of sensually detailed love scenes and vividly descriptive writing, Ask for It is perfect for readers who prefer their historical romances filled with plenty of sizzling passion and dangerous drama.
— John Charles, Booklist

Yesterday, I went to a picnic that we go to every year. It’s in a park just off the water in San Diego. It’s got beautiful views and a few hundred people show up, and we eat and run races–potato sack, three-legged, etc.

I got fried. Cooked crispy. Burnt.

But it was fun! *g*

Oh, and my Author in the Spotlight over at RomanticTimes.com just went up. (you have to be an RT subscriber and logged into the Special Features to see it.) It features a never-before-seen excerpt of ASK FOR IT, which releases in just 29 days…

Here’s RT’s review. I’m super happy with it!

Nothing ignites Marcus Ashford, the Earl of Westfield’s emotions more than the thought of being near his former fiancee Lady Elizabeth Hawthorne. As one of the Crown’s foremost cryptographers, he’s been assigned to protect the young widow and the code she possesses.

Dark secrets and a hidden journal were responsible for her husband’s death. Now, Elizabeth is being threatened by his enemies and must entrust her safety to the one man she can’t be near. She jilted him, but has never forgotten the rising desire he ignited in her — a passion so strong it scared her.

Marcus will not rest until Elizabeth is in his bed, willing to surrender everything to him. But as they crave each other, a sinister foe plots their demise.

Day spins a marvelously sensual novel of suspense that tantalizes our senses, as well as challenges our minds to solve the mystery surrounding the lovers. Day is a writer whose flair for sensuality and storytelling will take her far.
— Kathe Robin, Romantic Times

It’s been 100F here for the last three days. My office is in the upstairs loft, and it’s the warmest room in the house. In the winter, that rocks. In the summer, it’s the kiss of death.

So today, I pulled out my flash drive and laid atop my bed with my laptop. I had the tv on, and the kids in and out, and I still wrote more pages today than I have in foreva!! Yay!! No internet at all works! I’ll be doing the same thing every day for the next week, I imagine, since the forecast shows it being just as hot until Thursday, when the temp will drop to the high 80’s.

I’m 88 pages away from THE END on my May Avon (which is due in August) so I hope to finish it this week and get it out early. Then it’s all Brava, all the time. (until I have to start Avon ST #2, but we’ll think about that later. *g*)

In other news, ASK FOR IT received a wonderful review from Romance Junkies. I’m so happy the book is being liked so well. After BBA, I got quite a few comments speculating on my ability to write a ST. Traditional historical readers who weren’t familiar with the BAD BOYS anthos, wondered at the single author anthology format. They couldn’t understand why I didn’t just write a “whole” book. Kathe Robin said to me at RT that she enjoyed BBA, but was much happier to see me write a full story. Readers have also said that they’re interested to see how I work a full-length tale. The interest in the length of the stories has been a bit surprising to me, perhaps because I started out writing ST, and then branched into novellas and shorts, and also because I never thought of a single author anthology as being unusual. I like them. Not more or less than ST. They serve different purposes to me.

I’ve taken to avoiding thick-spined books, because I don’t have time to read them. I worry that if I start, I won’t stop and hours will pass, my deadlines will loom with greater pressure, and I’ll feel guilty. I’ve returned books to the shelves that were too thick IMO, books I would’ve bought if the author had made the story shorter. I’m not sure what that says about me. I hope it just says that I’m a desperate reader who has to read a story straight through. This is where an anthology fits in perfectly!

One day, I’ll buy a stack of thick books and spend a week or two just devouring them all. Heaven!