Fiction FRIDAY... early!

On my recent trip to Seattle to visit family and friends I had the pleasure of attending the EMERALD CITY RWA CONFERENCE held in Bellevue, Washington. This wasn’t my first conference with romance writers but my first that had such a large number of published authors ( not including the national RWA conference). I have often wondered why so many authors live in the PNW but I think it has to do with so many rainy days that keep one in at their desk writing. Of course it could also be the stunning scenery and the fact that Washington State has no state income tax.

At each of the meals I made it a point to sit at a table where I knew no one other than maybe by name for the books they write. Though being on two writers loops Hearts Through History and Celtic Hearts I was hoping to finally put faces with names. On Sunday our lunch was the final event for us all to come together and I sat at a table with many of the local authors and thoroughly enjoyed listening to the antics of Publishers Weekly and friend BARBARA VEY. I knew some of the names at our table (GERRI RUSSELL who writes great historicals) and when I chatted with the young woman who sat next to me she got excited when she read my nametag and said she loved my posts on the history links and on Scotland on one of the writing lists we are both members of. After gushing over other authors all weekend it was a new feeling to have some gush over something I did. AMANDA FORESTER and I had a lovely chat over lunch and I wish I had met her earlier in the conference so we could talk more about what she is planning in the future. She even graciously carried my winning basket back to my room for me. As a debut author I wanted to feature her this week…

Amanda writes medieval Scottish tales and her debut book was published this past March called THE HIGHLANDER'S SWORD, set in the Highlands of Scotland in 14^th century. The following is one of the book trailers for this book which I know will please many of you who love a feisty Scottish lass who levels a braw Hieland warrior.

Amanda’s next book THE HIGHLAND’S HEART debuts next spring so put it on you shopping list now.

As one does at such a conference I people watch and while waiting to get into a class I had the pleasure of chatting with author JACKIE IVIE while she waited to teach her class “Researching Historicals and Bringing Them to Life”. Jackie is one of the twenty authors I mentioned last Friday who will be part of the Mammoth Book of Scottish Romances coming out in January. But Jackie is no stranger to writing Scottish romances, her books include: TENDER IS THE KNIGHT, A KNIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS- LADY OF THE KNIGHT, ONCE UPON A KNIGHT, A KNIGHT WELL SPENT, HEAT OF THE KNIGHT and her latest A KNIGHT IN WHITE SATIN. These books all set in Scotland are set in different time-periods from Medievals to 17^th century.

I finally was able to get a listing ( thanks to Terri Brisbin) of the twenty authors who will be part of that Scottish romance anthology and I want to take the next couple of Fridays to feature them. Here are some more of the authors who will be featured:

KIMBERLY KILLION was a Rita finalist for First Best Book with her debut book... HER ONE DESIRE in 2009, which is set in London and the Borders of Scotland and her latest is THE HIGHLAND DRAGON set in the highlands. Her story in the MBO Scottish Romances is HIS MAGICK TOUCH a story set on the island of Barra in the 16^th century. An excerpt of this story can be found here. http://www.kimberlykillion.com/hmtexcerpt.asp

CONNIE BROCKWAY who writes both historical and contemporary romances is a 2 time RITA winner and icon of the historical romance. Her Scottish romances can be found in the McClairen Isles trilogy: THE PASSIONATE ONE, THE RECKLESS ONE and THE RAVISHING ONE. Her Rose Trilogy is also set in Scotland or with Scottish heroes: MY PLEASURE, MY SUDUCTION and MY SURRENDER. Other Scottish stores include SO ENCHANTING She has also has a Scottish tale in the anthology MY SCOTTISH SUMMER – “Lassie Go Home” – contemporary set in Scotland.

And finally an author new to me is paranormal writer DONNA GRANT who has two series of books set in Scotland or with Scottish heroes: The Druids Glen trilogy (ebooks) HIGHLAND MIST, HIGHLAND NIGHTS and HIGHLAND DAWN. Her current series is the “Swords” series and includes: DANGEROUS HIGHLANDER, FORBIDDEN HIGHLANDER and WICKED HIGHLANDER