tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13581549169314977262024-03-13T09:20:29.399-07:00The Minerva Society Meeting Rooms...Minerva is the Roman goddess of wisdom and a symbol of strong, smart women throughout history. Join historical romance author Heather Snow as she celebrates the brilliant women of the past--some she's written about and some she hasn't...Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-6306521760284054892017-03-15T13:16:00.000-07:002017-03-15T13:17:38.387-07:00My Books<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #c69948; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 30.0pt;">The Veiled Seduction Series<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Three unconventional heroines, three unfolding mysteries, three unforgettable love stories... (and a novella!)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 26.66666603088379px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 26.66666603088379px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i><span style="color: #c69948; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 30.0pt;"><a href="https://www.heathersnowbooks.com/veiled-seduction-series"><span style="color: #420178; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></a></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 17.0pt;">THE BOTANIST<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i><span style="color: #c69948; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 30.0pt;">Loving Lady Dervish<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #232223; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Veiled Seduction Series - Prequel
Novella </span><i><span style="color: #c69948; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #232223; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkoYNeT1S6bn6zbU_mjBgd1Y1iLD2fpUo44Wp_m8pZCrjhr0kFXmT1t_7ce1hQUkiGCQ5uSc0hb7MDlNTuFCkZEilroimjAWJLVDqPnEB-peX9RBbQ_m95R_brop8ciaKXb9v8jBUGhRAL/s1600/Dervish-text.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkoYNeT1S6bn6zbU_mjBgd1Y1iLD2fpUo44Wp_m8pZCrjhr0kFXmT1t_7ce1hQUkiGCQ5uSc0hb7MDlNTuFCkZEilroimjAWJLVDqPnEB-peX9RBbQ_m95R_brop8ciaKXb9v8jBUGhRAL/s400/Dervish-text.jpg" width="266" /></a><span style="color: #232223; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;">After nearly five years of
torment at the hands of society's worst gossips, Lady Phoebe Anson is finally
making her escape, following her dream to author botany texts--even if she must
pretend to be a man to do it. When her one-time friend, Lord Malcolm Gray,
happens upon her at the Frost Fair and uncovers her plot, Phoebe refuses to let
him ruin her life--again.</span><span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #232223; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;">But Malcolm isn't the young fool
he once was, though he knows he has much to atone for where Phoebe is
concerned. And he has no intention of letting his "whirling
dervish" get away this time...</span><span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #232223; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 21.33333396911621px;"><a href="https://media.wix.com/ugd/4b6466_49a6230c3a544a6985ceee96ae429cca.pdf" target="_blank">Read First Chapter Here!</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 21.33333396911621px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MY4ZOZB/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=heath07-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B01MY4ZOZB&linkId=76251bcd8d8f37449e512969fa43c8ea" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbX2eJkvF5ofCxxl5w-9f2BX8Ygv9Q7Xr2sqM6OHKbsVcwlUaVdy3rlWmoWxQYMeM4Qj1wX7BkwCkGsaYcsSTAKoUFV9TsfT1eGB0Ct-tLvGWFd-8R4qd2fMrTu6O8QiOkL8nnx8eXcKX/s1600/amazon.png" /></a><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/loving-lady-dervish/id1178777778?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhse2_TPvnv2TaKiZH_miTK0X-2Wl5Ek7o7ZL785feQTbocfwR9m3-NxgTiihyphenhyphentAZFNkpoxRLfnz_qJVf7a6aJHfwirzCkBoFrqLDQepr8ZDIDNPBrPylkAPmjInNQ94OwzvEW7-GtdKPQh/s1600/available+on+ibooks.png" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/loving-lady-dervish-heather-snow/1125191041?ean=2940153868431" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimeEWwK7c1dqefK6dOtI1Dwp0FD-snTQNI_jzLIlAxUFxdIbZX56WyKgs3u1ZGKlId7ZYIIFzQ1l-zUVimX16Q2CKrBnzZMM7qLsgOWEg41wO2cCOKDudBK-jp17wDv_xi8mfYSJDZpODK/s1600/barnes+and+noble.png" /></a><a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/loving-lady-dervish" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDxgFDB9SlHZ8BPMlQVXW2tK0Nh5DE8srynE9trhoEMZU3OrzBcyEATj_572UL4mizR-XPu9gGKu9c_vZ1uteZmG3cNNNcAKNIj8445YXQjH4pHr8fw2yiUZAVMqtvdkRxd8zi31ZqnZh/s1600/kobo.png" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/683975" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9-Z6HHGV_mXebKk3INB4ksLaJw2G2zQBFhiePurQmko8FSnLr6dTtiWQIg-r9F4a5vQ8_QSvLFs3PPbmHEEdTePZuwD-IS7MLRjM-bGzEKcPys1BS6cLuirbMWLWTBqtznBdL4aAgVus/s1600/smashwords.png" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #bf9000; font-size: large;">"Loving Lady Dervish is adorably charming!" ~ Under the Covers Book Blog</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/683975"><span style="color: #420178; text-decoration: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 22.66666603088379px;">THE CHEMIST</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i><span style="color: #c69948; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 30.0pt;">Sweet Enemy<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #232223; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Veiled Seduction Series -
Book One</span><i><span style="color: #c69948; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i><span style="color: #232223; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Winner of the Golden Quill for
Best Regency Romance</span></i><i><span style="color: #c69948; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Beakers and ball gowns don’t
mix. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVla0rHq4MSfqs-q_woRd8g8wUM-cRWM5hDRVccuh0Zj1aG_jHmODH3fNifTpu_dPv5hrqGT_H_vDr-632PspXsb_YTt5469KM_edjHCiUXKAKptWnWJL_qfU0oFjDXY5SLklX0kccRMZ2/s1600/SE-Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVla0rHq4MSfqs-q_woRd8g8wUM-cRWM5hDRVccuh0Zj1aG_jHmODH3fNifTpu_dPv5hrqGT_H_vDr-632PspXsb_YTt5469KM_edjHCiUXKAKptWnWJL_qfU0oFjDXY5SLklX0kccRMZ2/s400/SE-Cover.jpg" width="266" /></a><span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;">So when lady chemist and avowed
spinster, Miss Liliana Claremont, receives a coveted invitation to the Earl of
Stratford’s house party, no one expects her to accept. After all, it’s
well known that Lord Geoffrey Wentworth, a rising political star, is in need of
a suitable bride, and it’s assumed he will choose one from the select group of
attendees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Yet Liliana has no desire to lure
the rich and powerful earl into marriage. She’s come to Somerton Park for
one reason—to uncover what the Wentworths had to do with the murder of her
father. She intends to find justice, even if she has to ruin Stratford to
do it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;">To get the evidence she needs,
Liliana intends to keep her enemy close, though romance is not part of her
formula. But it only takes one kiss to start a reaction she can’t
control… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; text-decoration: none;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="https://media.wix.com/ugd/4b6466_f1d728abecfa4df8b78230abcf6dd987.pdf" target="_blank">ReadPrologue & First Chapter Here!</a></span><a href="https://media.wix.com/ugd/4b6466_f1d728abecfa4df8b78230abcf6dd987.pdf"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></a></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i><span style="color: #c69948; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 21.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Enemy-Veiled-Seduction-Novel-ebook/dp/B01KLJVXI2/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1471562973&sr=8-4#nav-subnav" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbX2eJkvF5ofCxxl5w-9f2BX8Ygv9Q7Xr2sqM6OHKbsVcwlUaVdy3rlWmoWxQYMeM4Qj1wX7BkwCkGsaYcsSTAKoUFV9TsfT1eGB0Ct-tLvGWFd-8R4qd2fMrTu6O8QiOkL8nnx8eXcKX/s1600/amazon.png" /></a><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sweet-enemy/id1144799999?mt=11" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv58uP-d34QRFpaAWmYAL-IGIvLgFqu7voaw4fNkSRKf-62cFuYvc-2kreDFpbSQ0aq875AezFO7WsJ7P7FpltEQ7AinL9nfSRpW0F9U83SAuTU5kiYWXxZVO2MTkj0jGU4JkFP6u1Jts8/s1600/available+on+ibooks.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sweet-enemy-heather-snow/1101077574?ean=2940156959655" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimeEWwK7c1dqefK6dOtI1Dwp0FD-snTQNI_jzLIlAxUFxdIbZX56WyKgs3u1ZGKlId7ZYIIFzQ1l-zUVimX16Q2CKrBnzZMM7qLsgOWEg41wO2cCOKDudBK-jp17wDv_xi8mfYSJDZpODK/s1600/barnes+and+noble.png" /></a><a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/sweet-enemy-2" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDxgFDB9SlHZ8BPMlQVXW2tK0Nh5DE8srynE9trhoEMZU3OrzBcyEATj_572UL4mizR-XPu9gGKu9c_vZ1uteZmG3cNNNcAKNIj8445YXQjH4pHr8fw2yiUZAVMqtvdkRxd8zi31ZqnZh/s1600/kobo.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/658831" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC06Vqm_WiDQrBKh2ygtLBlEETKkFwms2K7EulDjm6hapE3Yssvd-QJJgqWaV4wUW-fi47DMKJ2s7zKH9isnSdXakdNH2R-9J9XSXLklrz5avHC7LpHEVaBDi5po-NNJniJej4bifnZnKg/s1600/smashwords.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #c69948;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“A wonderful, emotional, and
intellectually satisfying read!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #c69948;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~ All About Romance (A Desert
Island Keeper Pick)</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 21pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 32.0pt;">Buy the Book Now!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 32.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Enemy-Veiled-Seduction-Novel-ebook/dp/B01KLJVXI2/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1471562973&sr=8-4#nav-subnav"><span style="color: #420178; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt; text-decoration: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #420178; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Enemy-Veiled-Seduction-Novel-ebook/dp/B01KLJVXI2/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1471562973&sr=8-4#nav-subnav"><span style="color: #420178; text-decoration: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_9" o:spid="_x0000_i1048" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:100pt;
height:55pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/private/var/folders/t1/3_ykfdxs69bb3l2_4yfp9sjh0000gq/T/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_image017.png"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><span style="color: #420178; text-decoration: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_10" o:spid="_x0000_i1047"
type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:100pt;height:55pt;visibility:visible;
mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/private/var/folders/t1/3_ykfdxs69bb3l2_4yfp9sjh0000gq/T/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_image019.png"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/658831"><span style="color: #420178; text-decoration: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #420178; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="color: #420178; text-decoration: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_11"
o:spid="_x0000_i1046" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:100pt;height:55pt;
visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/private/var/folders/t1/3_ykfdxs69bb3l2_4yfp9sjh0000gq/T/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_image021.png"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><span style="color: #420178; text-decoration: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 22.66666603088379px;">THE CRIMINOLOGIST</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_12" o:spid="_x0000_i1045"
type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:100pt;height:55pt;visibility:visible;
mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/private/var/folders/t1/3_ykfdxs69bb3l2_4yfp9sjh0000gq/T/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_image023.png"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sweet-enemy-heather-snow/1101077574?ean=2940156959655"><span style="color: #420178; text-decoration: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #420178; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sweet-enemy-heather-snow/1101077574?ean=2940156959655"><span style="color: #420178; text-decoration: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_13" o:spid="_x0000_i1044" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:100pt;
height:55pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/private/var/folders/t1/3_ykfdxs69bb3l2_4yfp9sjh0000gq/T/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_image025.png"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><span style="color: #420178; text-decoration: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/sweet-enemy-2"><span style="color: #420178; text-decoration: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #420178; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/sweet-enemy-2"><span style="color: #420178; text-decoration: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_14" o:spid="_x0000_i1043" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:100pt;
height:55pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/private/var/folders/t1/3_ykfdxs69bb3l2_4yfp9sjh0000gq/T/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_image027.png"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><span style="color: #420178; text-decoration: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sweet-enemy/id1144799999?mt=11"><span style="color: #420178; text-decoration: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #420178; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="color: #420178; text-decoration: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_15" o:spid="_x0000_i1042" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:100pt;
height:55pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/private/var/folders/t1/3_ykfdxs69bb3l2_4yfp9sjh0000gq/T/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_image029.png"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><span style="color: #420178; text-decoration: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i><span style="color: #c69948; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 30.0pt;">Sweet Deception<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #232223; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Veiled Seduction Series -
Book Two</span><i><span style="color: #c69948; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i><span style="color: #232223; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Winner of the Gayle Wilson Award
of Excellence in published historical romance.</span></i><i><span style="color: #c69948; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNLstHg2NV5ZpAVXDnNN6RFxvYiy9T7gCUunyV2_E1ErkRZBlF_Km5_IxRBpEVBdrfMChkwjQqBVVf7GlTnrj_UT05b49IcoMXMpYjEH5MIn4Z2vZi4qtNuFivLKC-hUPRgqnWddQUJEK/s1600/SD-Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNLstHg2NV5ZpAVXDnNN6RFxvYiy9T7gCUunyV2_E1ErkRZBlF_Km5_IxRBpEVBdrfMChkwjQqBVVf7GlTnrj_UT05b49IcoMXMpYjEH5MIn4Z2vZi4qtNuFivLKC-hUPRgqnWddQUJEK/s400/SD-Cover.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;">The spy she once loved…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;">After years as England’s most
elusive double agent, Lord Derick Aveline has vowed to leave his days of
espionage behind. Though he’d like nothing more than to make a fresh start in
the Americas, he first must complete one last mission for the Crown—to unmask a
deadly traitor. But to do that, he must return to the one place he’d vowed
never to go again…home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;">The girl who always saw through
him…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Lady criminologist, Miss Emma
Wallingford, can scarcely believe the dandy who waltzes back into Derbyshire is
the same man who left without a word a decade ago, taking her heart with him.
What’s worse, he is poking his nose where it no longer belongs, which threatens
all she holds dear. Still, it doesn’t take long to deduce the truth…that
Derick is not who he is pretending to be. And, he’s hunting the same murder as
she.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Though she suspects he’s only
back in her life until the killer is found, Emma is determined to convince
Derick to stay this time. Will their re-found love prove true? Or is it all
just a Sweet Deception?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; text-decoration: none;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; text-decoration: none;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="https://media.wix.com/ugd/4b6466_97361c0f06cd4607b7f11a20f60bacbc.pdf" target="_blank">Read First Chapter Here!</a></span><a href="https://media.wix.com/ugd/4b6466_97361c0f06cd4607b7f11a20f60bacbc.pdf"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></a></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i><span style="color: #c69948; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 21.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LZ16128/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=heath07-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B01LZ16128&linkId=3148f975111e69c2911875fa0e185491" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbX2eJkvF5ofCxxl5w-9f2BX8Ygv9Q7Xr2sqM6OHKbsVcwlUaVdy3rlWmoWxQYMeM4Qj1wX7BkwCkGsaYcsSTAKoUFV9TsfT1eGB0Ct-tLvGWFd-8R4qd2fMrTu6O8QiOkL8nnx8eXcKX/s1600/amazon.png" /></a><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sweet-deception/id1161094008?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv58uP-d34QRFpaAWmYAL-IGIvLgFqu7voaw4fNkSRKf-62cFuYvc-2kreDFpbSQ0aq875AezFO7WsJ7P7FpltEQ7AinL9nfSRpW0F9U83SAuTU5kiYWXxZVO2MTkj0jGU4JkFP6u1Jts8/s1600/available+on+ibooks.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sweet-deception-heather-snow/1104879012?ean=2940153761053" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimeEWwK7c1dqefK6dOtI1Dwp0FD-snTQNI_jzLIlAxUFxdIbZX56WyKgs3u1ZGKlId7ZYIIFzQ1l-zUVimX16Q2CKrBnzZMM7qLsgOWEg41wO2cCOKDudBK-jp17wDv_xi8mfYSJDZpODK/s1600/barnes+and+noble.png" /></a><a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/sweet-deception-12" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDxgFDB9SlHZ8BPMlQVXW2tK0Nh5DE8srynE9trhoEMZU3OrzBcyEATj_572UL4mizR-XPu9gGKu9c_vZ1uteZmG3cNNNcAKNIj8445YXQjH4pHr8fw2yiUZAVMqtvdkRxd8zi31ZqnZh/s1600/kobo.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/669449" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC06Vqm_WiDQrBKh2ygtLBlEETKkFwms2K7EulDjm6hapE3Yssvd-QJJgqWaV4wUW-fi47DMKJ2s7zKH9isnSdXakdNH2R-9J9XSXLklrz5avHC7LpHEVaBDi5po-NNJniJej4bifnZnKg/s1600/smashwords.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #c69948;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"One of the things I love
about Heather Snow is her ability to write beautiful, intelligent heroines that
are an absolute delight to read...I just can't get enough of her writing!"<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #c69948;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~ Night Owl Reviews, 5 stars,
Rare Top Pick</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 21pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 22.66666603088379px;">THE PSYCHOLOGIST</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 22.66666603088379px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i><span style="color: #c69948; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 30.0pt;">Sweet Madness<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #232223; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Veiled Seduction Series -
Book Three</span><i><span style="color: #c69948; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i><span style="color: #232223; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Winner of the National Excellence
in Romance Fiction Award, the Write Touch Readers Award and the Book Buyers
Best TOP PICK </span></i><i><span style="color: #c69948; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQODvWaoyHwzESpFOuYBBuC2KZjFVmJFEuojem4M8Aal8LkL23Y_kbyCmDDLStmX88nkAXdNgx72YQMUF3Lbrcyj5KRoVxWX46Prcf3DY7gD4ACtub3-z_L-rwiI2ExPyOs4qWGFDHN9eM/s1600/SM-Cover-revised.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQODvWaoyHwzESpFOuYBBuC2KZjFVmJFEuojem4M8Aal8LkL23Y_kbyCmDDLStmX88nkAXdNgx72YQMUF3Lbrcyj5KRoVxWX46Prcf3DY7gD4ACtub3-z_L-rwiI2ExPyOs4qWGFDHN9eM/s400/SM-Cover-revised.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;">The war hero who is barely
holding on…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Gabriel Devereaux, Marquess of
Bromwich, may have returned from the Napoleonic Wars sound of body, but his
mind is plagued in ways he does not understand. After a particularly
frightening episode, he commits himself to a private asylum of good repute. Gabriel
is desperate to recover, and if he cannot, to protect the ones he loves—even
from himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;">The woman who won’t let him go…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Lady Penelope Bridgeman has
dedicated her life to treating traumatized soldiers, though nothing will ever
make up for her inability to save her own husband. When Gabriel’s illness seems
eerily similar to the madness that made her a widow, Penelope is terrified that
she will fail again—and cost another man his life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;">But her heart won’t let her
refuse to help, even if it means facing both her past and her own demons.
Gabriel pushes Penelope away to keep her safe, but a fragile trust slowly grows
between them, forged by a deeper bond of loss. Though Penelope damns herself a
fool for loving yet another broken man, she’ll do anything to save Gabriel—no
matter the cost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;">She never expects that he might
be the one to save her, too…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4c4c; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 18pt;"><a href="https://media.wix.com/ugd/4b6466_70c4f5fabd8841d89d44e40bede3a476.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 16pt; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #444444;">ReadPrologue & First Chapter Here!</span><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i><span style="color: #c69948; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 21.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i><span style="color: #c69948; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 21.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M72DVW4/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=heath07-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B01M72DVW4&linkId=91cc6857d73d1b9627e1a6c7aa41da82" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbX2eJkvF5ofCxxl5w-9f2BX8Ygv9Q7Xr2sqM6OHKbsVcwlUaVdy3rlWmoWxQYMeM4Qj1wX7BkwCkGsaYcsSTAKoUFV9TsfT1eGB0Ct-tLvGWFd-8R4qd2fMrTu6O8QiOkL8nnx8eXcKX/s1600/amazon.png" /></a><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sweet-madness/id1161094887?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv58uP-d34QRFpaAWmYAL-IGIvLgFqu7voaw4fNkSRKf-62cFuYvc-2kreDFpbSQ0aq875AezFO7WsJ7P7FpltEQ7AinL9nfSRpW0F9U83SAuTU5kiYWXxZVO2MTkj0jGU4JkFP6u1Jts8/s1600/available+on+ibooks.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sweet-madness-heather-snow/1112482607?ean=2940153761060" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimeEWwK7c1dqefK6dOtI1Dwp0FD-snTQNI_jzLIlAxUFxdIbZX56WyKgs3u1ZGKlId7ZYIIFzQ1l-zUVimX16Q2CKrBnzZMM7qLsgOWEg41wO2cCOKDudBK-jp17wDv_xi8mfYSJDZpODK/s1600/barnes+and+noble.png" /></a><a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/sweet-madness-2" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDxgFDB9SlHZ8BPMlQVXW2tK0Nh5DE8srynE9trhoEMZU3OrzBcyEATj_572UL4mizR-XPu9gGKu9c_vZ1uteZmG3cNNNcAKNIj8445YXQjH4pHr8fw2yiUZAVMqtvdkRxd8zi31ZqnZh/s1600/kobo.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/669450" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC06Vqm_WiDQrBKh2ygtLBlEETKkFwms2K7EulDjm6hapE3Yssvd-QJJgqWaV4wUW-fi47DMKJ2s7zKH9isnSdXakdNH2R-9J9XSXLklrz5avHC7LpHEVaBDi5po-NNJniJej4bifnZnKg/s1600/smashwords.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #c69948;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"In this emotional, compassionate
romance...the powerful love story will sweep readers away."</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #c69948;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~ RT Book Reviews, 4 1/2 Stars,<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #c69948;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Nominated for Reviewer's
Choice Award Best Innovative Historical</span></span></i></div>
Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00711640649711338968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-15244527447981828022013-02-17T01:16:00.001-08:002013-02-17T01:16:14.919-08:00Test Giveaway<a id="rc-fe923a2" class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/fe923a2/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00711640649711338968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-82535282049752128502011-06-12T12:37:00.001-07:002011-06-12T12:45:34.809-07:00Welcome to the Minerva SocietyWelcome! My blog is being re-tooled in preparation for the release of my debut novel, <em>Sweet Enemy -- A Veiled Seduction Novel, </em>on February 7, 2012. <em>Sweet Enemy </em>features a Regency-era lady chemist, and the first member of my fictional Minerva Society.<br /><br />As a reader, I love smart women. Strong, witty, confident, innovative and unconventional heroines who steal the hearts of their heroes just by virtue of their passionate minds and spirits. As a historical romance author, those women are the characters I do my best to create. <br /><br />Since Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom and a symbol of strong, smart women throughout history, I thought it fitting she grace this new blog aimed at celebrating brilliant women, real and fictional. I hope you'll join me.<br /><br />Look for posts monthly, beginning November 1, 2011.Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-23777560794137471102010-12-01T08:54:00.000-08:002010-12-01T13:40:24.455-08:00New Blog : Get Lost in a Story<span style="color: black;">****</span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Dear Friends,</span><br /><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Today marks the end of <em>Heather's Historical Hodgepodge</em>. Well, maybe not the end, but a definite LOOONNNNGGGG hiatus, as I consider how best to spend my limited promotional time whilst being a mom of a young boy and meeting my new deadlines! While the blog may come back at some point, restructured and geared towards readers, it won't be until closer to my release date in Spring of 2012. I want to thank everyone who has followed along with me in my pre-published blogging experiment! I very much value the friends I've made.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">However, I won't be completely gone from the blogging world. Today, a group of multi-genre authors is launching a blog geared toward readers, and it's going to be fantastic! I am joining with fellow debut authors </span><a href="http://www.donnellannbell.com/"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Donnell Ann Bell</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">, </span><a href="http://www.maureenmcgowan.com/"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Maureen McGowan</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">, </span><a href="http://www.angimorgan.com/"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Angi Morgan</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">, </span><a href="http://www.catschield.com/"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Cat Schield </span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">and Simone St. James at the </span><a href="http://www.getlostinastory.blogspot.com/"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>Get Lost in a Story blog</em> </span></span></strong></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> where we blog about our love of storytelling and we interview new and favorite authors! There will be great conversation and lots of giveaways!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Today, Harlequin Blaze author Tawny Weber is our guest. Tomorrow, mystery author Joelle Charbonneau. More authors coming soon: Lynda Simmons, Allison Chase, NYT Best Seller Rebecca York, Elizabeth Essex, Kathleen Eagle...and that's just next week! In the weeks to come, tons of fabulous authors will be coming by. We hope you will be, too!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So please, come over and follow me there and I will see you all somewhere in the blogosphere!</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.getlostinastory.blogspot.com">www.GetLostInAStory.blogspot.com</a>Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00711640649711338968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-80251554833153955442010-11-16T00:01:00.000-08:002010-11-16T00:01:00.202-08:00Promote Reading - Break the TVI love TV. Okay, actually that’s not true. I don’t particularly care for TV. The last two network shows I actually watched with regularity were <em>Moonlighting</em> and <em>Quantum Leap</em>, so I guess you couldn’t really call me any network’s targeted ideal viewer.<br /><br />But I do love the screen, big and small, and with the advent of VCR’s followed by DVD’s followed by DVR’s, for many a year I have loved my television set. I am a huge movie buff, old and new, and many hours have been spent sitting in front of my tube, being swept away by a great story.<br /><br />But I love books more. Books allow me to use my creativity to fill in the spaces the author leaves me, to make the stories more personal to me, to let me imagine what a character looks like or feels based on my own personal biases, to get lost in a compelling plot or lyrical prose. Books are, I think, the most personal form of storytelling available.<br /><br />In this world of 1400+ cable stations, not to mention internet TV viewing and myriad other choices, so many people today take the time to enjoy the simple pleasure of reading. The Washington Post says 1 in 4 American’s didn’t even pick up a book last year.<br /><br />If you or your family falls into that category, what is one to do? <br /> <br /><em><strong>Break the TV.</strong></em> <br /><br />Yes, that’s what I said. And it will work.<br /><br />Don’t believe me?<br /><br />A few weeks ago, I ran into a 30 year old man I hadn’t seen in quite some time, a good family friend. When he asked what I’d been up to, I told him I’d been writing. He became very animated, telling me how recently he’d began reading again (after more than 10 years of not even sniffing at a book) and then launched into praise for a particular Sci-Fi series he was halfway through. Meaty, 800+ page books for a man I know spends more time in the bar than in the library, and yet here he was (at a bar, yes. What? I can go out now and again, can’t I?) animatedly extolling the virtues of reading.<br /><br />When I asked him what had started this journey back to books, do you know what he told me?<br /><br /><em><strong>“Well, my girlfriend left me and she took the TV. I couldn’t afford a new one, so I had to find something else to do.”</strong></em><br /><br />So simple. But let’s see another case.<br /><br />I recently learned that getting rid of the television works on 2 year old boys, too. In our house, I must admit that I’d fallen into the “but it’s educational!” trap, and my toddler was getting a little too much “pre-school on TV”. I really began to feel that if it went on, his imagination development and creativity would suffer. So I put the TV “night night”. <br /><br />It was hard, at first (although it did produce one very cute moment when I came into the room to see The Boy standing in front of the closed TV cabinet, begging the television to “Get up, TV! Get up!”)<br /><br />But yesterday, I walked into the bedroom, and there was The Boy, reading aloud (as much as a two year old can) one of his <em>Dr. Seuss </em>books on the floor, his little face alight as he turned the pages…a far cry from the Zombie stare that so accompanied the television watching.<br /> <br />So there you go…it may not be scientific evidence, but it’s true all the same. Break it, take it, or put it “night night”, the best way to promote reading, in my estimation, <em>is to say bye-bye to the TV.</em><br /><br />I’d love to hear your thoughts about TV time in your life and family…Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-62449885256924894092010-11-09T00:01:00.000-08:002010-11-09T06:43:14.783-08:00Congratulations MARA Fiction From the Heartland Contest FinalistsThis week, my local RWA chapter's contest announced its finalists. <br /><br />The MARA Fiction From the Heartland contest recognizes the top Ten scores, regardless of category. This year, we had some incredible entries and it was tough, tough competition. It took more than 93% of total points to final in the top ten, so our agent/editor judges should look forward to some stellar submissions! <br /><br />Six other entries, received at least 90% of total points possible and we thought that deserved some recognition, so we added Honorable Mention finalists as well.<br /><br />Finalist' entries will go on to an agent and editor, while Honorable Mention Finalists' entries will go only to their respective category editor judge.<br /><br /><br />Finalists:<br /><br />Erin Rieber<br /><em>More Than a Stranger</em> - Historical<br /><br />Crista McHugh<br /><em>Tangled Web</em> - Paranormal<br /><br />Isis Rushdan <br /><em>Kindred of the Fallen</em> - Paranormal<br /><br />Diane Burton <br /><em>The Pilot</em> - Paranormal<br /><br />Sarah Baker <br /><em>Saving Captain Brookes</em> - Inspirational<br /><br />Deborah Gross <br /><em>Stealing Justice</em> - Romantic Suspense<br /><br />Sharon Wray <br /><em>Midnight Guardian</em> - Romantic Suspense<br /><br />Robin Weaver<br /><em>Burned Illusions</em> - Romantic Suspense<br /><br />Rebecca Sampson <br /><em>Alli’s Playground</em> - Young Adult<br /><br />Robin Weaver <br /><em>Deep Speak</em> - Young Adult<br /><br />Honorable Mention:<br /><br />Margaret Golla <br /><em>The Demon Connection</em> - Paranormal<br /><br />Meredith Conner <br /><em>Tall, Dark and Furry</em> - Paranormal<br /><br />Regina Tittel <br /><em>Abandoned Hearts</em> - Inspirational<br /><br />Robin Weaver <br /><em>The Bookstore Connection</em> - Category Romance<br /><br />Sarah Tormey <br /><em>Rough Riding Ranger </em>- Category Romance<br /><br />Shoshana Brown <br /><em>Squeaky Clean</em> - Young Adult<br /><br />WELL DONE!!!<br /><br />But also, I want to offer a BIG Congratulations to all who entered. Having entered my share of contests before selling, I know what it's like to put my heart into an entry and wait. I know what it feels like to get dismal scores, to not final, to miss big or to miss finaling by 1 point. I know what it feels like to read judge's comments and wince, or to smack myself for missing this thing or that thing or to smile big because the judge "got me". It takes courage to write and submit something, be it to a contest or to an agent or editor, and each of you should be proud that you put yourselves out there. <br /><br />Best of Luck to all of our Finalists and Honorable Mention finalists in the Final Round. May the requests abound!<br /><br />I'd love to hear some of your contest experiences...Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-430374146498556632010-10-12T20:15:00.000-07:002010-10-12T20:24:24.078-07:00Sale Story and Superstitions…****<br /><br />When a woman is nearing the end of her pregnancy, she is generally miserable, ungainly and desperate for her child to just hurry up and come out already! At this time, well-meaning friends and relatives shower her with advice on how to trigger labor. “Go to the mall and walk,” is common advice. Or, as my Aunt Cindy always says, “Go bowling. I went bowling when I was 9 months pregnant and ‘poof!’ Labor.” My cousin, on the other hand, would advise you to go to the 54th Street Grill and order a spicy Philly…threw her into labor 3 times.<br /><br />Well, I don’t have any advice on how to help you if you’re impatiently waiting for Junior’s arrival, but if you’re out on submission and you are miserably waiting to hear news and your nerves are nearing their breaking point, I can tell you just what to do:<br /><br />Get a Pedicure.<br /><br />And while your feet are soaking, and you are pondering the book-deal just handed down to Snookie, your agent will call.<br /><br />Oh yes, she will. With an offer for a 3-book deal. It will go something like this:<br /><br />(Phone rings, causing instant guilt that you forgot to turn off your ringer and are now disturbing fellow customers who are just trying to relax while nail technicians are filing away their calluses. You glance around with an apologetic smile and reach to turn the phone off when you notice it’s your agent calling. You snatch the phone up, other pedicurees now forgotten.)<br /><br />“Hello?”<br /><br />“Hello! What are you doing?”<br /><br />“Well, believe it or not, I’m having a pedicure,” you say, sheepishly.<br /><br />“Isn’t that nice? Well, you might as well sit back and relax, sweetie, because today’s the day.”<br /><br />(And much whooping and hollering ensues, drawing surprised stares from other customers, but that is another story.)<br /><br />That’s pretty much how it went September 30th, at high noon (CST). Going to auction is a whole 'nother story indeed, but after the dust settled a week later, I am very proud to say that "Sweet Enemy" will be published by NAL Signet Eclipse in Spring 2012.<br /><br />So, if you’re out on submission, and the least bit superstitious, hie yourself to the nearest nail salon and plop yourself down in the self-massaging chair. If you’re REALLY superstitious, here’s a picture of the actual pedicure, so you can have it replicated exactly…<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_8F4o-ZBbDSbmYpIValvpff0183PCCnjiI4YJC2rbWKcBUomCmqGhPf7rMCeWCyZtrwsSFOs8Il3KEUcsVHqfKqux2J2o5kA5q5QsVlK2paRcvxG7WOzB4LZTo3fpnU8i776R18c3wi6l/s1600/015.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_8F4o-ZBbDSbmYpIValvpff0183PCCnjiI4YJC2rbWKcBUomCmqGhPf7rMCeWCyZtrwsSFOs8Il3KEUcsVHqfKqux2J2o5kA5q5QsVlK2paRcvxG7WOzB4LZTo3fpnU8i776R18c3wi6l/s200/015.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527365517912482530" /></a><br /> <br />Sadly, the little sticker on the OPI bottle that told me the color had been pulled off, so you’re on your own for that…<br /><br />See you next week!<br /> <br /><em><strong>Blurb from Publisher’s Marketplace:</strong></em><br />2010 Daphne Du Maurier Award Winner and Golden Heart nominee Heather Snow's SWEET ENEMY, where beakers and ball gowns don't mix, but chemical attraction is hard to ignore, to Laura Cifelli at NAL, at auction, in a three book deal, by Barbara Poelle of Irene Goodman Literary Agency. Foreign: Baror International<br /><br />****Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-12083928724584093132010-09-21T15:16:00.001-07:002010-09-21T15:23:30.165-07:00A New Appreciation for Contest CoordinatorsJust popping in this week to say "hi", as I'm trying hard to be a more dedicated blogger this year :) (We won't talk about the fact that being a better blogger has more to do with content than just showing up, though...this week, I'm just shooting for consistency!)<br /><br />You see, I am coordinating the electronic entries for my chapter's writing contest this year and since I've just finished up sending a hundred contest entries to two different first round judges (and hence each entry had to be renamed and numbered and addressed twice), I am too exhausted to have anything of interest to say this week except:<br /><br />Thanks, out there, to all you RWA Chapter contest coordinators. You rock!<br /><br />And for that matter, thanks to all of the judges in our contest and any other. I love being part of an organization where writers volunteer their time to help each other make our writing better, and contests are one of the ways we do that.<br /><br />Next week, I'll think of something really interesting to say... <br /><br />Have a great one!Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-49540483234360203192010-09-14T17:12:00.000-07:002010-09-14T17:31:53.670-07:00198 Years Ago Today...****<br /><br />It’s been a while since I’ve lived up to the “Historical” part of “Heather’s Historical Hodgepodge”. September 14 is a very important day, not only in our history, but in the fictional history of the three heroes in my Regency series, who were all soldiers in the Napoleonic wars. You see, September 14th, 1812 marked the turning point in that war and therefore, is the perfect day to rectify my appalling lack of historical posts.<br /><br />198 years ago today, a victorious Napoleon invaded Moscow expecting to be met at the gates by a delegation from the city. He’d been chasing and defeating the Russian army for months, and now, expected their capitulation and the surrender of Czar Alexander. It was customary for the leaders of a captured city to greet their victor with a key to the city (a traditional symbolic gesture that was meant as a negotiation to keep the population and the city’s property safe from the victorious invaders) and, as part of their surrender, make arrangements to feed and house the invading army.<br /><br />Instead, Napoleon found the glorious city of Moscow deserted. The majority of the 275,000 citizens had <em>evacuated completely</em>, taking with them every bit of food and supplies they could, stripping the city of anything the French expected to revive themselves with, leaving them to break and scavenge.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-uHEJBW1mu3D5VH-RP6Bo_amYbRDrUd7zaYZOaPBCG_iZJV-N4Fh8gmllDe0vDjkBTaB1PJtJ0PEkgpTHSRrVzfd-Wfiga2-UryCu46AfhmWMKFkp-S2LbDzCSVVdKzW0lAHPIJkSGaI/s1600/Napoleon+Alone"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 220px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-uHEJBW1mu3D5VH-RP6Bo_amYbRDrUd7zaYZOaPBCG_iZJV-N4Fh8gmllDe0vDjkBTaB1PJtJ0PEkgpTHSRrVzfd-Wfiga2-UryCu46AfhmWMKFkp-S2LbDzCSVVdKzW0lAHPIJkSGaI/s320/Napoleon+Alone" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516928302185662258" /></a><br /> <br />Shortly after midnight, fires broke out all over the city—some say started by Russian patriots set on destroying or scorching anything that might help the French, some (like Tolstoy) say by the inept French soldiers carelessly setting fires to warm themselves without taking in account that most of the close buildings were made of wood. Either way, a firestorm erupted and in the end, Napoleon had to flee through burning streets to escape. When the fires went out days later, at least 2/3 of Moscow lay in ruins and Napoleon and his Grande Armée had been robbed of their traditional victory as well as whatever food and supplies the city might have offered.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpezq7gPyLQ-KqB86oQMpgvTvpNzLey70_T-W7wh2uY3de0ZLU_5SU_Yf66NOxVjkkTPj5jHNTqgf8L6DKibVf7ZM99TUwncXjWoa19TJ8McAOMbExj4RNBTR39dTda6qPgPbFsX7ELgAa/s1600/Napoleon+Fire+Moscow.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpezq7gPyLQ-KqB86oQMpgvTvpNzLey70_T-W7wh2uY3de0ZLU_5SU_Yf66NOxVjkkTPj5jHNTqgf8L6DKibVf7ZM99TUwncXjWoa19TJ8McAOMbExj4RNBTR39dTda6qPgPbFsX7ELgAa/s400/Napoleon+Fire+Moscow.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516928118518497490" /></a><br /><br /> <br />Czar Alexander said that the burning of Moscow “illuminated his soul,” and the leader surprised Napoleon again by refusing to surrender. A month later, unable to replenish supplies and with his men starving, Napoleon gave up and led his army out of the ruined city. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbPZQztsuFgDi6oi_BWs9-9dmJOnh-p6YHJSUeYPCpTi-EKtJAHgQRAjUbR5UQpv0ZZAytE0FaMnj7bVRm7FsUR8bdbx8UKEsbogxyHE1nJfxtAF8RsvWHyfbIdH9EswG1f-r6hL966lU/s1600/1812+French+Retreat+Cold.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 173px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbPZQztsuFgDi6oi_BWs9-9dmJOnh-p6YHJSUeYPCpTi-EKtJAHgQRAjUbR5UQpv0ZZAytE0FaMnj7bVRm7FsUR8bdbx8UKEsbogxyHE1nJfxtAF8RsvWHyfbIdH9EswG1f-r6hL966lU/s320/1812+French+Retreat+Cold.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516928490035293426" /></a><br /> <br />Many factors contributed to what happened next, but more than 400,000 French soldiers never survived their disastrous journey home. The rest of Europe took advantage of this failure and banded together to turn the tide, ultimately defeating Napoleon once and for all.<br /><br />Still, it’s very sad that so much history and human life had to be lost in order to bring about something that was ultimately for the good, and as such, I can't think of a cheerful question to end this blog post with, so feel free to just comment at will.<br /><br />See you next week, and as always, thank you for stopping by Heather's Historical Hodgepodge.<br /><br />****Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-87654069084057594462010-09-07T08:37:00.000-07:002010-09-07T08:58:10.993-07:00Do Contests Really Help Your Career?Contests have been good to me in the 2009/2010 season, most certainly. All told, I’ve finaled in 7, including the <em>RWA Golden Heart®, </em>and won three (<em>Chicago North’s Fire and Ice, Kiss of Death’s Daphne du Maurier and Heart’s Through History’s Romance Through the Ages</em>) the last of which introduced my writing to my now agent, <em><strong>Barbara Poelle </strong></em>with the Irene Goodman Agency.<br /><br />I’ve been getting a few e-mails here and there from people who have noticed my finals/wins asking me how valuable I thought contesting was to launching a career, and if I felt that doing so well in contests was instrumental to getting an agent.<br /> <br />I must say yes. And no.<br /><br />You already know my agent read my first three chapters in a contest, and went on to request the full, so you may be saying “Duh, of course contest finals were instrumental in launching her career.” But it’s not that simple. I had several agent offers to choose from, only 2 of which found me through a contest. Two more came through referrals from existing clients, and the other 4 through the good old query process. Had I chosen one of those agents instead, the answer would be very different.<br /> <br />Here’s the thing: getting an agent or editor to buy into your story ALL COMES DOWN TO THE WRITING, and not just in the first 25-50 pages (the average length of a contest entry). I’ve heard more than one editor and agent say that while contest finals are nice, they don’t pay a ton of attention to them (yes, even the Golden Heart) because many times they’ve read a polished, perfect first three chapters, but then the story falls apart, or the voice/story/plot/characters don’t carry through to the end of the book.<br /><br />The most instrumental thing for your career then, is to WRITE A DARNED GOOD BOOK, through and through. No matter how well I’d done in contests, I wouldn’t have gotten a single offer if the entire book hadn’t stood out in some way.<br /><br />That being said, I would still answer YES, as to whether contests have been instrumental to my career, and that is because of the feedback I’ve received. You see, before <em>Sweet Enemy </em>started doing well in contests, I entered another 5 (4 previous to my actual first finalist entry) that I did not final in at all. But what I did get was valuable feedback. I learned something from each and every one of those entries, even from those judges who hated my story or wrote pretty harsh or nitpicky things (most judges were absolutely lovely, btw, even when giving criticism). I learned what was working (thus building my confidence), what people were tripping over, what words I over-used, what images weren’t coming through as I intended, and so on and so on and so on. Taking that feedback and unbiased criticism helped hone my story, showed me areas I needed to better educate myself in on the craft, and then I would try again and enter another contest to see if what I’d changed worked.<br /><br />Just as important in my growth as a writer has been JUDGING contests. It’s amazing how much you learn about your own writing, or about mistakes writers make, when you are seeing them in someone else’s work. Conversely, you learn when you see something done just right!<br /><br />And remember, contest finals are great, they let you bypass the slush-pile of whichever editor/agent is judging, and that’s nothing to sneeze at, but that’s all it does. In the end, it’s the writing that is going to win you that editor/agent’s heart, so above all else, educate yourself and hone your craft. <em>That’s</em> what will launch your career.<br /><br />For those of you who have entered contests, how would you answer this question? For those thinking about contesting, what do you hope to get from the experience?<br /><br />Now, a shameless plug for my chapter’s contest, deadline of September 10th. And yes, we’re known for great feedback.<br /><br />Why YOU should enter MARA’s Fiction From the Heartland Contest<br /><br />• FEEDBACK, FEEDBACK, FEEDBACK<br />o You get TWO full page critiques, one from a published author.<br />o Our contest provides detailed feedback on your entire entry, including big picture story feedback from your synopsis<br />o You will receive your comments back in time to prepare to enter the RWA Golden Heart®<br />• Manuscripts that final are read by BOTH an EDITOR and an AGENT<br /><br />o Check out 2010’s Fabulous Line-Up!<br /><br /> <strong>Agents</strong><br />• Helen Breitwieser, Cornerstone Literary Agency<br />• Sara Megibow, Nelson Literary Agency<br />• Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency<br />• Karen Solem, Spencerhill Associates<br />• Claudia Cross, Sterling Lord Literistic<br /><br /> <strong>Editors</strong><br />• Category Romance - Susan Litman, Harlequin/Silhouette<br />• Contemporary Single Title - Danielle Poiesz, Pocket Books<br />• Historical - Tessa Woodward, Avon Books<br />• Romantic Suspense - Lauren Plude, Grand Central Publishing<br />• Paranormal - Meredith Giordan, Berkley Publishing Group<br />• Erotic Romance – Meghan Conrad, Ellora's Cave<br />• Young Adult - Natashya Wilson, Harlequin Teen<br />• Inspirational - Melissa Endlich, Steeple Hill<br /><br />• Trained judges, who judge in the genre they write. No MARA members are allowed to enter our own contest.<br /><br />• Overall winner receive $50 and a commemorative plaque<br /><br />• Did we say FEEDBACK?<br /><br />Here’s what some past entrants have said about our contest:<br /><br /><strong>"I attribute my first sale to this contest." - Laura Abbot</strong><br /><br /><strong>"I had no idea when I entered the MARA Contest how it would change my life. Not only did I win the contemporary catagory and the best overall, but the judging editor requested the entire manuscript and I went on to become a published author! I can't recommend this contest enough." -Donna Delaney</strong><br /><br /><strong>And 2000 RITA® winner for Best First Book (The Maiden and the Unicorn), Isolde Martyn thanked MARA and the Fiction From the Heartland Contest in her acceptance speech</strong><br /><br />So be sure to polish up your entry and get it in today! Deadline Sept 10th, 2010. <a href="http://www.mararwa.com">www.mararwa.com</a>Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-16736542899716116882010-08-18T06:24:00.000-07:002010-08-18T06:41:22.456-07:00I've been Poelled...****<br />So, I haven’t posted in an age, but in my defense, life has been a whirlwind these past few weeks. So many things to share, but I’ll have to do it in spurts because I am very quickly making some tweaks to my manuscript so that my new, fantastic, lovely, hilariously funny and uber-enthusiastic super agent, <strong>Barbara Poelle</strong>, can get it out on submission.<br /><br />Next on the—<br /><br />What’s that, you say?<br /><br />Oh, yes! I DID say agent. And I am thrilled, Thrilled, THRILLED about her. It’s a long and wonderful story, one of those, that looking back, seems like it was meant to be, but the very short version goes something like this:<br /><br /><em><strong>Author</strong> (that’s me) has her eye on <strong>Super Agent </strong>(that’s Barbara) for a long time. <strong>Author</strong> sees that <strong>Super Agent </strong>is judging a historical romance contest (that’s the Hearts Through History’s <a href="http://www.heartsthroughhistory.com/contest.htm">Romance Through the Ages Contest</a>) and decides to enter, in hopes of getting first three chapters of manuscript in front of her.<br /> <br />In the meantime, <strong>Super Agent </strong>and another <strong>Awesome Agent </strong>(that’s Holly Root) donate an afternoon tea with them to “Do the Write Thing for Nashville” to support flood relief for that area after the devastating May floods. Calculating <strong>Author</strong> thinks… “Hmm…I can support Nashville AND put myself in front of <strong>Super Agent</strong>, who will have read 3 chapters of my work if I final in that contest I entered, and at best, make an impression, and at worst, be able to at least ask her why she hated my writing.” <strong>Author</strong> bids, bids, bids and wins! Of course, she also queries both <strong>Super Agent </strong>AND <strong>Awesome Agent</strong>, because <strong>Author</strong> is no dummy and <strong>Awesome Agent </strong>is…well…awesome.<br /><br /><strong>Author</strong> finals in the contest, and the manuscript is off to <strong>Super Agent</strong>. Author also finals in the Golden Heart and the <a href="http://rwamysterysuspense.org/pdf/2010UnpublishedRanking.pdf">Daphne</a>, which doesn’t hurt, all of which are set to announce at the RWA Convention in Orlando, FL.<br /><br />RWA arrives. <strong>Author</strong> WINS historical romance contest (Yay!), <strong>Super Agent</strong> comes to awards ceremony herself to announce the winners and then FLOORS Author by <strong>offering representation publicly in front of a room full of people, declaring her willingness to “get into a monkey knife fight” to represent Author. Author’s </strong>jaw drops, but she can’t stay to play, because she has to dash upstairs, where she also wins the historical category of the <a href="http://rwamysterysuspense.org/pdf/2010UnpublishedRanking.pdf">Daphne</a> (at which point, she sees <strong>Super Agent </strong>standing in the back of the room, jumping up and down with applause. <strong>Author’s</strong> heart melts a little).<br /><br />The next day, still stunned <strong>Author</strong> (and friend, <a href="http://www.gretchenjones.com/">Gretchen Jones</a>) have lunch with <strong>Super Agent </strong>and <strong>Awesome Agent</strong>, who both deign to wear Fez’s blinged out with “I (heart) Nashville and Heather Snow” on them, and <strong>Author</strong> doesn’t have to ask <strong>Super Agent </strong>why she hated her writing, because Super Agent LOVES her writing. Yay!<br /><br />(Gretchen proceeds to take picture evidence of this Fez wearing madness, which is exhibited below)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfoUbDWD4jQYD9RUcVMMJoWpyYI8TF673TJuzZxEWloa67zk-QfT3fcB4PlSHbQZBnwN96ZZUioX2pZM_E7qxOps-NcNN4SlA464fpQ-GpltXobzKClgNfdWVbEcIlDx5GPLuXQlS8uq0/s1600/IMG_0170.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfoUbDWD4jQYD9RUcVMMJoWpyYI8TF673TJuzZxEWloa67zk-QfT3fcB4PlSHbQZBnwN96ZZUioX2pZM_E7qxOps-NcNN4SlA464fpQ-GpltXobzKClgNfdWVbEcIlDx5GPLuXQlS8uq0/s400/IMG_0170.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506742501015902210" /></a><br /><br /><br /><strong>Author</strong> receives several more tempting (and wonderful) offers of representation over the next week, and is grateful and humbled by each and every one. <strong>Author</strong> runs off to New York to meet other <strong>Lovely Agents</strong>, to make certain she makes the right decision for her career. <strong>Author</strong> is torn, because she loves each agent and thinks they are all lovely. Then <strong>Author</strong> goes home and secludes herself for three days, clearing her head, listing her pros and cons, and checking her gut and her references and comes to a decision.<br /><br />On Tuesday, <strong>Author</strong> calls <strong>Super Agent</strong>. <strong>Super Agent </strong>doesn’t answer. <strong>Author</strong> then decides, what the heck…<strong>Super Agent </strong>is young, hip and addicted to her iPhone (as is <strong>Author</strong>) and decides to <strong>officially accept offer of representation by text</strong>. She texts:<br /><br />“Well, I’ve been Poelled. Here’s hoping you haven’t been Snowed into thinking I’m a better writer than I am, oh agent mine, because now you’re stuck with me. Call me when you can.”<br /><br />And much celebration ensued.</em><br /><br />All hilarity aside, I am very excited to be represented by the talented, tenacious and absolutely wonderful <strong>Barbara Poelle </strong>of the <em><strong><a href="http://irenegoodman.com/">Irene Goodman Agency</a>.</strong></em> Here’s hoping we have many happy, successful and lucrative years together…Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-46288428256157394112010-07-27T07:42:00.000-07:002010-07-27T07:53:10.030-07:00"Sweet Enemy" is featured in the Chemical and Engineering NewsI know I said I wouldn't update my blog while on vacation/conference, but I had to share that I and <em>Sweet Enemy </em>were featured yesterday in the <strong>Chemical and Engineering News</strong>!<br /><br />For those who might not know, the heroine of my first novel <em>Sweet Enemy </em>is a Regency era lady chemist, a fact which was picked up by the <strong>American Chemical Society</strong> from the wire when a story was run in the <strong>Kansas City Star </strong>last month, and they thought it might be interesting to do a story on a chemist turned historical romance novelist.<br /> <br />You can find the article <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/cen/newscripts/88/8830newscripts.html">here.</a><br /><br />Big thanks to Carmen Drahl, who wrote the story and was a delight to be interviewed by.<br /><br />As for how things are going in Orlando, totally fabulous! I've found a shady spot under the waterfall and the grotto pool (but I'm still wearing 100 sunscreen on the face and 50 on the body!), and am relaxing while gearing up for the exciting conference ahead!Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-31766003087530879652010-07-20T22:04:00.000-07:002010-07-20T22:10:37.402-07:00I’m going to DisneyWorld!!! (and I didn’t even have to win the Superbowl)*<br />Well, I’m off at the end of the week to the RWA ® National Conference in Orlando (which will be held next Thursday through Saturday to culminate in the Rita/Golden Heart awards on Saturday night). I’ll be traveling with my friend and fellow writer, <em><strong>Katy Madison</strong></em>, for a little pre-vacation, conference and then some Harry Potter world Sunday at Universal…woohoo! <br /><br />My goals for the week:<br /> <br />1. DON’T get sunburned at the parks or at the pool. I’m a red-headed, pale skinned woman who is wearing a strapless dress to the Golden Heart Awards. I do NOT want freaky awful tan/burn lines on my shoulders!<br /> <br />2. Try to find time to relax. It’s not often I get away by myself. While I love the husband and the boy, it will be nice to have a little time for me. I’m going to do my best not to fill every moment and just have a breather or two along the way.<br /> <br />3. Catch up with some friends. That might be hard with 3,000 attendees and a schedule that is packed to the brim this year between the Golden Heart, Daphne, & Hearts through History contests, along with other events I’m committed to (and TOTALLY looking forward to). But I hope to get to spend time with some lovely people I don’t see that often (you know who you are, so find me if I can’t find you!)<br /> <br />4. Enjoy some time with my MARA and MRW friends who are also attending. It’s so lovely to have chapter-mates who will be in Orlando, too.<br /> <br />5. Be a good networker and make new friends. Not my strongest suit, but I will do better this year. I will! Hey, I still have at least one friend I met at my first RWA conference in 2007. (<em><strong>Michelle Marcos</strong></em>, I love you!) And I met some fabulous new friends at this year's Chicago North Spring Fling who are actually still talking to me, so there's hope for me yet :)<br /> <br />6. Enjoy the moment. I am thrilled and honored to be a first-time Golden Heart finalist this year, and I hope to soak in every bit that I can and bond in person with the other incredible finalists I’ve been getting to know on-line.<br /><br /><em>Heather’s Historical Hodgepodge </em>won’t be updated for a couple of weeks. I’ll be gone next Tuesday, then I’ll be travelling to retrieve the boy from Nanny and Poppy’s house (who are so graciously spoiling…er, caring for their grandson while I am away). <br /><br />See you on August 10th (unless, by some crazy fluke I actually win the Golden Heart…then I will have to post something!). <br /><br />Either way, I promise pictures!<br />*Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-6333040168284967562010-07-13T09:25:00.000-07:002010-07-13T09:35:46.499-07:00The Dastardly Doings of Lord Derek Dammit…****<br /><br />Lord Derek Dammit is a bad bad boy…but can you blame him? Despite his noble birth, from the time he was stitched and stuffed, people have been smacking him about, taking out their frustrations by grabbing poor Derek by the legs and whacking him against any hard surface they find, screaming “Dammit Dammit Dammit!”<br /><br />It’s no wonder why, after a life-time of such abuse, Lord Derek was rotten to the core. He escaped his familial home and fled to London, taking out his own frustrations against anyone he came across. But one day, he went too far…<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4agbV52UtZSdZOOLypXvqsYE0H0gXM8IbaoLDdBljsmb-Qw-e2VsZQKCwppZEjNjZQOitkM5ntlTHokyBeHmi3fLTGqbXfo2ayiFmnAB-7KhJJUdKsE6ksKSwHYDN8V0ak61cyJBLvCEY/s1600/pinchbuttDammit.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4agbV52UtZSdZOOLypXvqsYE0H0gXM8IbaoLDdBljsmb-Qw-e2VsZQKCwppZEjNjZQOitkM5ntlTHokyBeHmi3fLTGqbXfo2ayiFmnAB-7KhJJUdKsE6ksKSwHYDN8V0ak61cyJBLvCEY/s320/pinchbuttDammit.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493428244242755730" /></a><br /><br />Charged with impersonating the Queen’s guard (not to mention improper pinching of the Queen’s guard’s arse), Lord Derek was exiled from the British Isles and decided to start anew in the Colonies. He made his way west, causing trouble everywhere he went until he landed on the beautiful island of Hawaii.<br /><br />There, Lord Derek Dammit’s life changed forever, as life often does when one meets his true love.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vvAL9HdN7NfGcH9Lu703UzUcClRN5HCS590m_8c1ZNo-UZAlfB__0mfjnj64G7vixWa0BKCNwcvXsbYjJVm7795NlxRWkkNiCvzYTYabB2Ey5NRVU2cddGxRR8k69vhqfjyXreWixomt/s1600/HS_Beach2d.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vvAL9HdN7NfGcH9Lu703UzUcClRN5HCS590m_8c1ZNo-UZAlfB__0mfjnj64G7vixWa0BKCNwcvXsbYjJVm7795NlxRWkkNiCvzYTYabB2Ey5NRVU2cddGxRR8k69vhqfjyXreWixomt/s320/HS_Beach2d.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493428654388185666" /></a><br /> <br />Her name was Darla—the most refreshing, unconventional chit Lord Derek Dammit had ever encountered. Cupid’s arrow quite knocked Derek off of his feet. While he hid his noble birth from her, three blissful days were spent by Darla’s side strolling along the famed black sand beaches of the Big Island and making love at sunset at the southernmost point of the northern hemisphere.<br /><br />But while his time with Darla was the closest thing to happiness he’d ever known, Lord Derek’s demons wouldn’t let him be. A life-time of anger and fear roiled within him, keeping him from being able to truly experience the peace and pleasure love offered. His growing closeness with Darla terrified the normally tough, cold Dammit Doll. So one night, after Darla had slipped off into oblivious and sated slumber, Lord Derek left her a brusque note:<br /><br /><em>Been fun, babe, but I’ve got to move on. There are more beaches and more cotton stuffing to explore…</em><br /> <br />And he left, like the bad boy that he was.<br /><br />Moments after he’d walked away, Lord Derek knew he’d made a mistake. Yet he also knew that if he stayed, he would make Darla miserable. No Dammit Doll would be able put up with his mercurial moods and his bad boy ways for long…he would only ruin her life, turn her into a bitter, brittle shell of the Dammit Doll she was. So he stayed away.<br /><br />But the days that followed were torture for Derek. He heard tales of Darla’s devastation, stood hidden at the airport window and watched as she flew away, back to the states. He couldn’t stand the pain, and turned to hard drink, going on a week-long destructive bender all over the island.<br /><br />But one day, he went too far…<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQk7I5JZyngvZH4qLPju1m4vi-sbUBlKSBSfFUJo94befTgs095WIjs1CTUNqpgRk67YjZuoFq2csYtsDnIR5lIzgen3U3oR9ljCsyjtt8JfeWQFLxJBAr9YXTXWQ1zFJPVp0NYglUGc2/s1600/BadDammit2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQk7I5JZyngvZH4qLPju1m4vi-sbUBlKSBSfFUJo94befTgs095WIjs1CTUNqpgRk67YjZuoFq2csYtsDnIR5lIzgen3U3oR9ljCsyjtt8JfeWQFLxJBAr9YXTXWQ1zFJPVp0NYglUGc2/s320/BadDammit2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493429075335582050" /></a><br /><br />Charged with destruction of a sacred tombstone in the Hawaiian Catholic Cemetery, Lord Derek was transported from the Hawaiian Islands to Alcatraz Island.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9rt2C_7i3mpEMXIBoUtrCMQVOf9r-d7Tl5PSaHS55cF1m_1TXU6cqdgY4E1dWnAWYE5etDK5BjyiOLDn8IqyIdf0Snefwy6Xui5nfP3OvzfHp2ictpkzUyRPBNqJWdHsoX0_LPiqBTwb2/s1600/InTheClink2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9rt2C_7i3mpEMXIBoUtrCMQVOf9r-d7Tl5PSaHS55cF1m_1TXU6cqdgY4E1dWnAWYE5etDK5BjyiOLDn8IqyIdf0Snefwy6Xui5nfP3OvzfHp2ictpkzUyRPBNqJWdHsoX0_LPiqBTwb2/s320/InTheClink2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493429269592170674" /></a><br /><br />During his time in the clink, Lord Derek realized he had much to lament in his life, but his biggest regret was letting Darla go. He had to win her back, tell her the truth about his identity and beg her forgiveness and her hand in marriage. It took much doing, but he learned that Darla would be at the <strong>Romance Writers of America national conference </strong>in Orlando, at the <em><strong>Moonlight Madness Bizarre</strong></em>.<br /><br />He made plans to surprise her there and to do his best to convince her that what she’s read in all of those romance novels is true: <em><strong>that a reformed rake of a Dammit Doll makes the best kind of husband… </strong></em><br /><br />Come to the Mid-America Romance Author’s booth to see if Lord Derek Dammit was able to win back the love of his Darling Dammit Darla…<br /><br />For the next installment of the Dammit Doll story, visit award-winning author <a href="http://www.carlacassidy.wordpress.com">Carla Cassidy’s blog </a>at www.carlacassidy.wordpress.com this coming Friday, July 16.<br /><br />Or to read Dammit Darla’s side of the story, visit author <a href="http://jackiebannon.blogspot.com/2010/07/dammit-darla.html">Jackie Bannon’s blog </a>at http://jackiebannon.blogspot.com/2010/07/dammit-darla.html<br /><br /><em>(This post is a fun and farcical advertisement to entice you to visit the Moonlight Madness Bizarre at the <strong>Romance Writers of America conference in Orlando on Thursday, July 29 from 8 p.m. to Midnight</strong> where my chapter, Mid-America Romance Authors will be selling a delightful array of whackable Dammit Dolls for writers, complete with different verses aimed at expressing the unique frustrations of the publishing business—each ending with “Dammit Dammit Dammit”, of course. Please come by and see us if you will be in Orlando, or stop by the <a href="http://www.mararwa.com">MARA</a> site.) </em>www.mararwa.com/authors/dammitdoll.htmHeather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-78591673288932512812010-06-24T10:16:00.000-07:002010-06-24T14:17:30.325-07:00Double RITA nominee Elisabeth Naughton****<br /><br />Romantic Suspense author, <strong>Elisabeth Naughton</strong>, whose book <em>Stolen Fury </em>is up for 2...count them, 2 Romance Writers of America's RITA ® awards this year in the Romantic Suspense category AND the Best First Book category, has graciously hosted Golden Heart finalists her blog for the past few weeks (and for the next few weeks to come).<br /><br />And today is my day! Please stop by if you get the chance.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.elisabethnaughton.com/blog/">Elisabeth Naughton's Blog</a><br /><br />After this hectic spate of lovely and much appreciated publicity, Heather's Historical Hodgepodge should be returning to Tuesday posts.<br /><br />In other news, the American Chemical Society saw the <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/2010/06/06/1996923/case-of-the-mondays-heather-snow.html">Kansas City Star </a>article last week, and called me. After a couple of lovely interviews about this chemist turned romance writer, they will be running an article in the Chemical and Engineering News towards the end of July. Interesting times :)<br /><br />I won't be posting next week, as I will be out of internet range until after the 4th of July. See you on the 6th!<br /><br />Have a great holiday.Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-65908656756554041042010-06-07T12:03:00.000-07:002010-06-11T12:56:32.852-07:00A Case of the Mondays...A Case of the Mondays…<br /><br />I’m writing my blog post on Monday this week because I was featured in my local newspaper, the <a href="http://www.kansascity.com">Kansas City Star</a>, in their FYI section in a little piece they call “A Case of the Mondays.” <br /><br />Each week, they choose a local person to showcase. They do a short interview, then create random questions, which you answer in a one-liner sort of format, with the final question relating to Mondays.<br /><br />I am very honored to have been chosen as June 7th’s case. (I tried to tell them I wasn’t that cool, but they decided to run it anyway).<br /><br />So, if you live in the KC area, it’s on the cover of today’s FYI section. If you don’t, I’m posting a link to the online version which has the text and a picture, but is missing the cute pink fluffy mule slippers and Hydrogen clip-art.<br /><br />I thought it would be fun to also give you my unofficial answers to be compared to what actually made it into the story, so those are below the link.<br />Have a great week!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.kansascity.com/2010/06/06/1996923/case-of-the-mondays-heather-snow.html">A Case of the Mondays - Heather Snow</a> (this link will take you to the actual article. My unvarnished answers are below)<br /><br /><strong>Last movie I wanted to bail on but didn’t:</strong> <em>“The Cell”. If I hadn’t been trapped in the middle of the very top row, I’d have been out of there.</em><br /><br /><strong>My favorite element from the periodic table:</strong><br /> <em>I’m going to have to go with hydrogen. It’s the most abundant and simplest of elements, it has the potential to power the world cleanly and most importantly—when it oxidizes, it becomes water. I am a total waterbaby!</em><br /><br /><strong>My biggest fear if I win a 2010 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award:</strong> <em>My right brain says it fears that everyone will expect me to wear those fluffy pink mules with the kitten heels when I write. I’ve got a two-year-old to chase. This mama has got to wear sensible shoes!<br />My left brain says it fears I would win the Golden Heart but never get published.</em><br /><br /><br /><strong>When my right brain and left brain do battle, which one wins?</strong><br /> <em>Left, every time. Which can be creatively challenging, but I love a challenge.</em><br /><br /><strong>Latte or coffee, black?</strong><br /> <em>I’m a tea with milk and sugar (and scones with clotted cream) kind of girl.</em><br /><br /><strong>Best name ever for a historical romance character:</strong><br /> <em>Geoffrey Alisdair Wentworth, Earl of Stratford, of course, the hero from my novel “Sweet Enemy”. But if I can’t choose one of my own characters, people seem to love dark names like “Devlin” or “Lucien” or “Deverill”. I prefer Ambrose, but really, anything sounds good with a title attached to it.</em> <br /><br /><strong>“Gone with the Wind” or “The Notebook”?</strong> <em>Will I lose my romance writer tiara if I say neither? Give me Cary Grant and Irene Dunne in “The Awful Truth” any day, even if it wasn’t adapted from a book. </em><br /><br /><strong>I knew I was officially a mom when…</strong> <em>I started to really view other humans as the precious gifts that we are. My son taught me that.</em><br /><br /><strong>Plot device I pledge never to employ:</strong><br /> <em>Heroine wakes up only to realize that it was all just a dream while declaring the butler did it which, of course, he did.</em><br /> <br /><strong>Mondays don’t scare me because…</strong><br /> <em>I’ve got one of the toughest critique groups in town and they meet on Tuesdays. Tuesdays are terrifying!</em>Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-34372611181739685012010-06-01T19:53:00.000-07:002010-06-01T19:54:43.128-07:00It's not a holiday weekend unless...…someone ends up in the emergency room. In 1987, my fourth of July holiday weekend was spent in the hospital recovering from a snake bite. No kidding. A young copperhead got my foot as I walked up the path from the lake, which proceeded to spread venom quickly through my body and necessitated a three day hospital stay. Yay!<br /> <br />Flash forward to Memorial Day 2010. Another holiday spent at the very same lake with family and good friends. It was a nice weekend—incredible weather, dinner from the grill, a little guitar on the patio after the kids went to bed and yes, a few hours in the good old emergency room with my dear husband.<br /><br />And how, do you ask, did this holiday weekend injury occur? Surely something more cool than a snake bite. Water skiing? Wake boarding? Extreme golfing? Nope. Freak mower accident. The funny part of this story is that my husband claims he brought it on himself because as he was mowing along in his shorts, he was thinking how silly his parents were for riding him as a kid to always wear jeans while mowing. He even arrogantly thought to himself “I’ve been mowing for 25 years and nothing’s ever happened” when a rock kicked up and put a deep puncture wound in his leg.<br /><br />So listen up, kids…your parents harp at you to wear protective clothing for a reason. Mock them at your peril! A rock may not jump up to bite you for 25 years, but when it does…irrigation and stitches for you, my friend. Not to mention hours sitting next to a guy in a camo-hat with a bloody knee bandage regaling you with his story of how he took on a gang of “punk kids on them souped-up golf carts”. But that’s another story…<br /><br />I still think I beat my hubby in the cool lake holiday weekend injury department. Do you have any vacation injury stories to share?Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-83286117233970817212010-05-18T13:09:00.000-07:002010-05-18T13:12:25.742-07:00So Far, So GoodWell, week one of querying has met with success. No rejections so far (yes, I know it’s early…many of these agents won’t even get to my query/proposal packets for several weeks yet and then I fully expect the big R’s to come rolling in), a few requests for partials and one for a full. Exciting times.<br /><br />Writing time this week has been shared between playing with the boy, doctor’s visits, family photos and bidding out the exterior paint of our house (plus the requisite driving around until hubby and I found paint colors we both approve of. Bye-bye suburban beige, hello awesome darkness!).<br /><br />And a new milestone has been reached in the raising of the boy. Yesterday at the gym’s childcare center, he turned around to me and instead of the crying, screaming melodrama that usually accompanies Mommy dropping him off, he simply waved “bye-bye” and ran off to play. I stood there dumbfounded, not sure what to do since I didn’t have to slink out of the door when he wasn’t looking like a thief with the crown jewels. Then, the little stinker wouldn’t sleep in his crib last night. Had to be in the big boy bed, all night long. Welcome, my little two year old man.<br /><br />Oh, and beginning today at <strong><em>Elisabeth Naughton’s</em></strong> <a href="http://www.elisabethnaughton.com/blog/">blog</a>, a former Golden Heart ® finalist and current double RITA ® finalist for her book <em>Stolen Fury</em>, she will be spotlighting current Golden Heart Finalists every Tuesday and Thursday. I’m scheduled to guest blog there on <strong>June 24th</strong>, but you should definitely check out the other GH Finalists. They are a talented group of writers from whom I’ll bet you’ll be hearing a lot in the years to come.<br /><br />Have a lovely week!Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-46791106267931198962010-05-11T14:01:00.000-07:002010-05-11T14:05:53.345-07:00Querying like a Madwoman!Not a lot of time to blog today…I’m finally kicking my story out of the door, turning it loose into the big bad world of publishing. Today, I started querying my “A” list, those agents that I might seriously consider selling the boy to if they would agree rep me. Okay, not really. I love the boy. (I might sell the husband, though…Just kidding honey!)<br /><br />This is quite the interesting process. I, being the left brain thinker, have my spread sheet of course, in which I’ve broken up agents into A,B and C lists, dutifully copied all of my research into, and made columns for query dates and responses. I’ve listed beside each one why I think they would be an incredible agent for me, as well as clients of theirs whose careers I would like to emulate.<br /><br />But how time consuming this process is, as well! Personally individualizing each query letter, checking and double checking submission guidelines and adjusting the length of story, synopsis, query, etc., to fit each person. Some want 10 pages, some want 5, some want 50, some want three chapters. Some want a 1 page synopsis,a 2 page synopsis, a 10 page synopsis. Yikes! I’ve told and retold this story at least a dozen times just today.<br /> <br />I even had to run out to the store to purchase self-seal #10 envelopes for SASE’s because an agent preferred not to have to lick them (which I totally get. They taste awful).<br /><br />So my big plan is to send off the snail-mail queries/packets this week, e-mails next week. Then I’ll tackle the B list.<br /><br />Boy, I hope I find an agent soon, so I can get back to writing!<br /><br />How do you approach your agent/editor query process?Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-8007693266255416332010-05-04T20:12:00.000-07:002010-05-04T20:14:52.046-07:00When It Rains, It PoursThe blog has sort of a double meaning today. My heart goes out to all of those in the mid-east states who are suffering with torrential rains and unprecedented flooding, and I pray for all those who are displaced and grieving the loss of homes, jobs or loved ones. I sincerely hope recovery is swift.<br /><br />Many of us in the romance writing world have been particularly glued to the news because our annual national convention was slated to be held at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville at the end of July. I am very saddened that this no longer seems possible for many reasons, not the least of which because of the financial resources that will now be leaving the Nashville area when they need it most. I know we were all hoping that the Gaylord would be able to assess the damage and say, “Hey, we’ll be ready for you in July!” Sadly, that is not the case.<br /> <br />Regardless of where the RWA® board ultimately finds for us to move to, I know many of our hearts will be in Nashville this year.<br /><br />As to the double meaning of this blog, I am experiencing a pouring down of wonderful news. I learned today that <em>Sweet Enemy</em> is a finalist in the Kiss of Death Chapter’s <strong><em>Daphne</em></strong> contest in the historical category. I am astounded and gratified (and a little bit embarrassed) at this recent rash of contest success and am very excited about the final judge, who is an agent I would be thrilled to work with. I hope she loves <em>Sweet Enemy</em> as much as I do.<br /><br />Wishing you all a wonderful week...Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-83489100856407859802010-04-27T14:30:00.000-07:002010-04-28T16:30:15.395-07:00Sometimes Even When You Win, You Lose…Back safely from an incredible trip to Chicago for the Chicago North’s Spring Fling writer’s conference. This was my first time at Spring Fling and I must say that it was a phenomenal regional conference. The headliners, <em>Cherry Adair</em> and <em>Julia Quinn</em>, were both gracious and quite hilarious, the workshops I attended were very well done, and there were a wide array of editors/agents present. In other words, the conference was top notch. It’s put on every two years, so I would recommend planning to go in spring 2012. It is well worth it.<br /><br />I can’t say enough about the people I got to know. <em><a href="http://www.lydiadare.com">Lydia Dare</a></em>, <em><a href="http://amydetrempe.blogspot.com">Amy De Trempe</a></em>, Samantha Grace and Erin Kelly, you girls rock! More about them individually to come, as they are historical authors not to be missed, but until then, you can check out their blog at <strong><em><a href="http://ladyscribes.blogspot.com">Lady Scribes</a></em></strong>.<br /> <br />I got the chance to meet three other Golden Heart ® finalists, Rochelle Staab, <a href="http://www.catschield.com/index.htm">Cat Schield</a> and Erica O’Rourke and I must say, they are completely lovely and I am honored to be in the same GH class with them.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0uIxAQcEktgQU0Ncyl2YqMn3LdNF4dpKMu3Yj9rB-A-EZvoyNO7MskacBMH8EuOAli7tG-MAKyZx_iSBfohLD-NSkVosEy-zylrf5NOx2lskh0jjxHjrnabSFKWexCFXzuZpYi6s4aru/s1600/GH+Spring+Fling.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0uIxAQcEktgQU0Ncyl2YqMn3LdNF4dpKMu3Yj9rB-A-EZvoyNO7MskacBMH8EuOAli7tG-MAKyZx_iSBfohLD-NSkVosEy-zylrf5NOx2lskh0jjxHjrnabSFKWexCFXzuZpYi6s4aru/s320/GH+Spring+Fling.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464937327865284194" /></a><br /><br /><em>Erica O'Rourke, Rochelle Staab, Cat Schield and Me.</em><br /> <br /><br />And I also met authors <a href="http://www.sarahmanderson.com">Sarah M. Anderson </a>, <a href="http://pamelacayne.wordpress.com">Pamela Cayne </a>and Ann Curtis as well as caught up with friend and awesome Regency author, <em><a href="http://www.cherylannsmith.com/">Cheryl Ann Smith</a></em> and <em><a href="http://www.nancyjparra.com">Nancy J. Parra</a></em>, <a href="http://www.joellecharbonneau.net/"><em>Joelle Charbonneau</em></a> and <em><a href="http://www.jennapetersen.com/">Jenna Peterson</a></em>. All in all, a great time!<br /><br />So now, to address the title of this blog. I am thrilled to have won the Historical Category of the <em><strong>Fire and Ice </strong></em>contest. It’s such an honor and I am grateful that the judges thought well enough of my manuscript to send it to the final round, and that the final round judge found it worthy of winning the category. But one of the things I enter contests for is to get my work in front of a particular editor or agent in hopes that they will request the full manuscript, and in that I lost. I also learned a hard lesson about the business of writing this weekend. During my editor appointment , the editor who judged my entry told me she very much enjoyed <em>Sweet Enemy </em>and that I had a wonderful voice and she’d love to see anything else I have, but that they’d recently published a particular book (by an author I really like, so I couldn’t even make a voodoo doll of her because she’s just too darned nice) with a similar premise to mine and therefore she couldn’t request it. The editor had some other lovely things to say about my writing, and she was very gracious and kind.<br /> <br />My pubbed friends assure me that editors don’t often say the things she did just to be nice and that sometimes it all just comes down to rotten timing. Perhaps so, but I am still disappointed.<br /><br />Rejection and perseverance are both part of the game, so I am moving forward in the agent hunt in hopes of finding a house that loves <em>Sweet Enemy</em>. And I’m buying a fun gold gilded frame for my <em>Fire and Ice </em>certificate and maybe taking myself out for a nice glass of wine with my winnings!<br /><br />In other news, I found out that <em>Sweet Enemy </em>is a finalist in the Georgian/Regency/Victorian category of <em>Hearts Through History’s <strong>Romancing the Ages</strong> </em>contest, with the final judge being an agent I’d really like to have. So I’ll set me sights on that and keep writing.<br /><br />See you next week!Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-71127462278629439482010-04-20T09:16:00.000-07:002010-04-20T09:48:09.444-07:00Off to Chicago for some Fire and Ice...Busy week this week in the Snow household, with each of us coming and going different directions. My husband just returned from an extended business trip, my son has been away visiting first my parents and then my hubby’s while I finish up rewrites (thank you, awesome family!) and now I am leaving to go to Chicago for four days just when his grandparents will be bringing him home. I’ll miss seeing my son by hours…<br /><br />But life is exciting, too. I popped in during Lent to tell you all of the Golden Heart® final, but another fabulous thing happened while I was away. <em>Sweet Enemy </em>is also a finalist in <strong>Chicago North’s “Fire and Ice” contest </strong>. So I and a good friend, historical author <strong>Keri Smith</strong>, will be going to their Spring Fling Conference and awards dinner this weekend, where Julia Quinn and Cherry Adair are headlining and where I will also be pitching the manuscript to an editor I’d really love to write for. All that, and I get to meet four other Golden Heart finalists who will be in attendance, catch up with my friend and fellow author, <strong>Nancy J. Parra</strong>, as well as meet many other incredibly awesome and talented writers. If you’re interested, details can be found here.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.chicagospringfling.com/">Chicago Spring Fling</a><br /><br />Maybe I’ll have super news to share next Tuesday…and if not, at least I’ll be holding my boy in my arms again by then.<br /> <br />Have an awesome week!Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-86296673110188750202010-04-13T14:41:00.000-07:002010-04-13T15:14:58.001-07:00Doing My Part to Promote LiteracyMy son is two. Since before he was born, I’ve been reading brainy baby books, trying to figure out how I am going to instill a love of reading and learning in his darling little mind. From the day I brought him home from the hospital, I read and read to him. I made him look at books when his little attention span could be measured in microseconds. I dragged him to the library for Mother Goose storytime when all he wanted to do was run around and yank books off of the shelves yelling “Yah!!!” like a Backyardigan Viking. I strapped him in his high chair and made him turn pages, naming what he saw, for ten minutes at a time. I followed the advice of Moose A. Moose on Noggin who says , “Read with your child for 20 minutes a day and promote a lifetime love of reading.” Yet he couldn't be bothered. I despaired that I was a writer raising the little boy who hated books.<br /><br />So, much to my delight and joy, the boy has finally turned the corner. Books have become his new favorite past time. We read and read and read all day long, over and over and over again. I can recite the lines of Dr. Suess’s <em>“The Foot Book” </em>and Sandra Boyton’s <em>“Moo, Baa La La La”</em> and <em>“But Not the Hippopotamus,” </em>just to name a couple. Yay, Mom! I should be thrilled…<br /><br />But have you ever tried to read Dr. Suess twenty times before your child goes to bed, get that rhythm and rhyme into your head and then try to write a sex scene?<br /><br /><em>He likes to do it on a train<br />He likes to do it in the rain<br />He likes to do it in a boat<br />He likes to do it with a goat?</em><br /><br />Oh no, it’s not pretty…<br /><br />:)Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-36874388596850801042010-04-06T09:02:00.000-07:002010-04-06T09:06:23.702-07:00Houston..we have reacquisition of signal in 5…4…3…2…1Lent is over, and I am stepping from my self-induced unnecessary internet fast blinking into the sun like a baby owl with horn-rimmed glasses.<br /><br />The night before Ash Wednesday, I was glued to my iPhone right up until midnight. Remember the movie, <em>Apollo 13</em>? As the clock turned over, I sat my phone face down in the dark and I swear it was being in that scene where they’ve turned off everything they could to conserve power, they’re freezing in the little module, looking at the earth through the window and wondering how they’re going to survive. Then the lights go out. Okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but man…it was quite surreal.<br /><br />Forty days later, I realize it wasn’t so bad. Yes, I missed out on a lot of news. Luckily friends let me know when something big was going on. I know I missed wonderful things going on in my blogging friends’ lives and careers. Yet, it went by fast and I feel more at peace, less rushed. I did watch the Oscars this year, (Sandra looked so beautiful! Bad, bad Jesse James), had a lot of fun with my family and even got some writing done.<br /><br />I wasn’t perfect, by any means. You’d be amazed the things I suddenly classified as “necessary” so I could look them up on the web. And I did break for March 25, or what we in the romance-writing-world call “Rita and Golden Heart Day”. More about that later, but the short version is that I was one of the lucky to get a call that day and now my manuscript has moved onto the final round, to be looked at by 3 acquiring editors!<br /><br />Due to my <em>Golden Heart ®</em> final, I will be slower to get back around to see everyone on their blogs. I had no expectation that <em>Sweet Enemy</em> would do so well, and therefore had slacked a bit on the rewrites— so I am having to write like a mad woman to get it whipped into shape in case the editors come calling! But I’ll stop in and say hi as I find the time.<br /><br />Leave me the high notes in the comments section…I’d love to hear what you’ve all been up to!Heather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1358154916931497726.post-72308833002256488652010-03-25T13:44:00.001-07:002010-03-25T22:12:15.211-07:00Golden HeartI'm breaking my Lenten Internet Fast and making an unprecedented Thursday post to say....<br /><br />I FINALED IN THE GOLDEN HEART!!!!<br /><br /><em>Sweet Enemy </em>is a 2010 finalist in the Regency Historical category.<br /><br />For those of you who may not know, the Romance Writer's of America's Golden Heart ® is the most prestigious contest out there for unpublished romance authors, with about 1200 entrants per year. Find out more at:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.rwanational.org/cs/golden_heart_awards/2010_golden_heart_finalists">RWA Golden Heart Finalists 2010</a><br /><br />I'm still in the clouds here, so I don't have much to say yet. I just wanted shout it to the blogosphere!<br /><br />My congratulations to all of the other finalists, particularly my Critique Partner, <strong>Leigh Stites</strong>, writing as <strong>Elisabeth Burke</strong>, for her final, <em>The Healer</em>, in the Historical Category. <br /><br />And I wanted to express my sincerest gratitude to my awesome critique groups, without whom, this wouldn't have been possible: <strong>Katy Madison, Keri Smith, Leigh Stites, Fran Abram, Gretchen Jones and Stacey Long</strong>. <br /><br />And thanks to the supportive writers in my local chapters who read my entry and helped me polish it up...MARA and MRW...you rock!!!<br /><br />I'll be back after Easter with more, but I couldn't resist stopping in! I'm sure God will forgive me :)<br /><br />HeatherHeather Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658143507115401865noreply@blogger.com5