Monday, October 27, 2008

The Dragon Master by Allyson James



Halloween Week Celebration here at A Peek at Romance

Coming Soon November 4, 2008

Learn More at http://www.allysonjames.com

Carol Juan doesn't really believe that her grandmother's friends are dragons, though she'll admit that Caleb and Malcolm are unusual. But when a Fire Dragon, a very rare creature who can not only take human form but turn himself into pure flame, seeks her out, she has to put her disbelief behind her. The arrogant and wild Seth teaches Carol not only about fire dragons, but about her own latent mage powers that pulled him instinctively to her. The secret of the Fire Dragon might help Carol win the day or be the means to her destruction.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

The Chosen Sin by Anya Bast



In this sensuous and lust-filled otherworld, the Chosen are vampires fighting for their very existence.

It is Daria’s destiny to become one of them…

Daria Morris is a special forces agent with one obsession: to wreak vengeance on the brutal vampire who nearly destroyed her. Now she’s finally about to get her chance, on one condition. She must become something she detests: a vampire.

Her fate rests upon one man’s lethal bite. His name is Alejandro Martinez, and he can help her infiltrate a highly guarded group of the Chosen. But Alejandro is also a distraction for Daria. Because thirteen years ago, they shared a scorching night of passion neither has forgotten.

Now, while Daria struggles against her newfound bloodlust, the two must slip into the shadows to bring a monster to justice—even as their desire threatens to consume them. But under the cover of night, they’ll discover that it’s the darkness within that may stand in the way of their hunger for retribution…




Read an excerpt at http://www.anyabast.com

Wednesday, February 7, 2007

Video Spotlight: WILDE by Katherine Warwick

I'm Katherine Warwick and my first series of books revolves around the competitive sport of ballroom dance. In my second book, WILDE, Anna has set her sights on feisty, determined Jamie Wilde, a maverick who's just lost his dance partner. She offers to pay him to be her partner, and he thinks his troubles are over. He signs a contract to be hers, and soon discovers that she has more in mind than just dancing. She has been studying him, has intentionally chosen him to be an integral part of her future, a future that takes her away from a country where she is set to inherit a throne, and a life that she is desperate to break free from.


Friday, February 2, 2007

Video or Not

I have found that there are two schools of people. Not so much those who like and those who do not like trailers, but those who are traditional readers and those who are not. Traditional readers are the ones most likely to use the back cover blurb, an excerpt or reviews to choose a book. They are established readers. They don’t need a trailer to get them to pick up a book. Though, many will watch them to see what’s coming up. And some trailers are really just announcements that the book is out. The
reader will buy it regardless.

What I term the non-traditional readers, are those who usually watch TV, go to the movies, play video games and spend far too much time downloading to their ipod. lol! You have to really reel them in to get them to pick up a book. With the number of readers shrinking and publishers doing all sorts of interesting things to get people to buy (does anyone really like those larger size books?) we have to acknowledge that we need to bring in more readers overall. Get them while they’re young! Like Brandi’s daughter!

If Book Trailers work the way they are supposed to, it won’t just sell books for the authors who buy them. It will bring in a whole new demographic. It will help bring those visual people over to books. It will remind them that they can watch scenes play out, in their mind. It would be great to have so many readers that all authors benefit, instead of having publishers and authors competing for current (and shrinking) number of readers. Even if you don’t like them yourself, or don’t use them, if they bring in more, new readers, aren’t they a wonderful tool? Of course there will always be those of us who love to go to our local bookstore, touch the pages, read the back copy, and enjoy the unique smell of coffee and books.

- Sheila Clover English
COS Productions

Here is one of COSs' new videos from author Patti O'Shea.
Read an Excerpt
Order Your Copy


Monday, January 29, 2007

Spotlight Video: NOON by Katherine Warwick






Hi, I'm Katherine Warwick and I write Women's Romance with the sizzle and glitter of ballroom dance. This booktrailer is for NOON, the first book in my dance series. My challenge here was to "show" that this couple's relationship spans from the feistiness of youth into the hot fire of adulthood, without the viewer thinking the story was a YA book. I mixed two different songs and had the characters "age" as the video progresses.
BLURB:
Someday you’ll find your way back to me...

For Nicole Dubois, dance – her life – has never been the same since her only love and dance partner, Breck Noon, suddenly and mysteriously left her, disappearing at the height of their promising career and budding romance. Years later he returns. He wants her back in his life, back as his partner. Pride keeps Nicole from asking why he left and where he’s been. In his absence, she’s aligned herself with a dangerous partner whose secret obsession is to destroy Breck.
In the dance world, competition is cutthroat, deception knows no boundaries. Breck and Nicole find themselves competitors, and life on the dance floor sizzles with passion and ignites with danger. Can their love survive an adversary whose drive to win is as powerful as his to will to keep Breck and Nicole apart?

Katherine Warwick
www.ballroomdancenovels.com

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Interactive Video From COS Productions

Speak No Evil Book Trailer

Allison Brennan's Web Site
Read an Excerpt
Order from Amazon

Greetings Everyone! Circle of Seven (COS) Productions has released an "interactive" video. Allison Brennan is one of my favorite authors and her new series starts releasing next Tuesday. Yea!

Quote from COS's MySpace Blog on the video.

"This is one of the first interactive book videos we've done. It's not just a challenge. It helps you to realize just how terrifying it would be to be a victim of this murderer. So often we read thrillers and our heart races as some sinister someone does dastardly things in the shadows. And this book is definitely something you want to read with the lights on. The video wants to put you inside the book, inside the character, inside the body of the victim for just over one minute. Can YOU do it? Can you hold your breath for the entire time the video plays?"

Monday, January 22, 2007

Music & Games of Command by Linnea Sinclair

Music can make and break a video. The right music blends the images into a story for the viewer to experience. Finding the right music can give the creator a migraine. {g} What I wouldn’t give to have the phone numbers for James Horner (Titanic, Brave Heart), and John Williams (Star Wars, Jaws). We have had a couple of videos where soundtracks would have been perfect, but we couldn’t use them. However, for the Games of Command Video by Linnea Sinclair ,DJ Tiësto did gives us permission to use one of his tracks. Don’t be shy. If you can find the contact information for an artist, contact them. ASK. All they can do is say no.

If you do not have permission for the artist to use their music, use royalty free music. A Google search on Royalty Free Music will give a large list. Now the down side, some tracks can cost up to $100 for one song. There are sites where music is cheaper be persistent, and keep searching.

For one of our videos it took us 3 days to find the right music. The funny thing is all of us, client included, didn’t think the song we picked was perfect. Yet now, I can’t imagine it with anything else. No, I will not tell you which one {lol}.

My insider tip: Have fun with it. Have a couple of tracks that will work and see which one fits the piece the best.

I am featuring Linnea Sinclair’s Games of Command video today, because DJ Tiësto said YES.

Games of Command will release Feb 27.
Read an excerpt
Order here