BLOGGNG TODAY WITH KAREN MICHELLE NUTT

I'm blogging today with good friend Karen Michelle Nutt about Ireland, my pesky muse and my book The King's Daughter.  Hope some of you can join us at www.kmnbooks.blogspot.com

READER REVIEW

I was very touched to receive an unsolicited reader review for my book the King's Daughter.  Thanks to Erin O'Quinn for permission to post in its entirety since no link is available:

At first I shook my head at the unfamiliar place names (Landsreel, the Alcinic Ocean) and the mention of several mysterious beings (the Holy Sisters, the Goddess, the High Born). Then, by the time I had read the second chapter, I was fully swept up in the intricately described life of Tia, the young daughter of the king who is to be used as the pawn in her father’s desperate attempt to save and perpetuate his kingdom. 

I always appreciate subtle detail that also sets place and mood, and Miriam is very good at it. Read, for instance, this description of riders now dismounted, leaving the royal stables: “men crested in a wave through the front entrance, boots hammering the floor, bearing the mixed scent of sweat, leather, and horses with them. . . . I heard varying thuds of greater and lesser buttocks meeting chairs, the solid sound of drinking vessels on the wooden table, and then silence.” Combine those details with the images of honey-cakes, bathing tubs, verbena soap; and this particularly well-imagined detail:  “Andun threw back his chair so hard it left curls of wax in the freshly-polished floor.”

Detail by detail, Miriam builds her setting. By the time the book opens on chapter 4, I am hollow-throated along with Tia, wondering how the king could consign this lovely young girl to the embraces of a man “thrice her age.”

I can tell already that this book will be a page-turner and a tale intricately wrought as a medieval tapestry. I will continue my comments later. For now, let this introduction be enough for a while to persuade you to buy The King's Daughter by Miriam Newman.

www.miriamnewman.com 

AND YET ANOTHER CONTEST - AT MANIC READERS

 

Today, 3/19, I blogged at Manic Readers about Heart of the Earth, Book II of The Chronicles of Alcinia.  This is the sequel to The King's Daughter, Book I of the piece.  There is a contest for a free pdf or Kindle copy of the book.  You can find this contest at http://manicreaders.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/heart-of-the-earth-with-giveaway-by-miriam-newman. 

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

A Happy St. Patrick's Day from all the Little People!

CONTEST!!!

Valley Forge Romance Writers
2012 THE SHEILA Contest



OPEN FOR ENTRIES ON March 1, 2012



Finalists will have a week after notification to submit a revised entry for review by the final round judges. 


Deadline: All entries must be received no later than April 7, 2012 11:59 p.m., eastern standard time
Submissions: Total of 35 pages, including synopsis (not to exceed 5 pages).

Judging: Entrants will receive a detailed score sheet from four qualified judges including, whenever possible, at least one RWA Pan author. The lowest score will be dropped before determining the final score. The top five entries in each category will advance to the finals.

Categories and Final Round Judges:

Single Title Romance - Emilia Pisani, Gallery Books

Historical (short or long and Regencies) - Elizabeth Poteet, St. Martin’s Press

Fantasy/Futuristic/Paranormal - Leah Hultenschmidt, SourceBooks

Women’s Fiction with Romantic Elements - Alex Logan, Grand Central   

Romantic Suspense - Katherine Pelz, Berkeley

Young Adult - Wendy Loggia, Delcorte Press/RHCB.

ENTRY FEE:

- $25 for all VFRW members / $30 for all non-VFRW members.

- For non-electronic payment methods, contact the contest chair (contest@vfrw.com) before April 1, 2012, to make arrangements.  Only money orders will be accepted.

- All entry fees are non-refundable except in the case of category cancellation, as stated above.

- If you have any questions, please email CONTEST@VFRW.COM


For detailed Rules and Entry Form, visit our website:  http://www.vfrw.com/contest

QUESTIONS: Contact Jeannine Standen, Contest Chair, at contest@vfrw.com

CHAT TONIGHT AT LOVE ROMANCES CAFE

I will be at a 7 - 9 p.m. chat tonight Friday, March 9 at loveromancescafe@yahoogroups.com with authors Kate Hofman, Susan Blexrud and Denise Alicea.  We will have plenty of free books including my new release The King's Daughter as well as contemporary, historical, paranormal, fantasy, futuristic and YA.  I hope some of you can stop by.  If you're not currently a member of LRC, you can use the address above to join for the chat.

Miriam Newman

GIVEAWAY 3/6/12

Win a copy of my fantasy historical The King’s Daughter, digital or print, at Manic Readers today: http://manicreaders.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/the-kings-daughter-miriam-newman/comment-page-1/#comment-11285