Congratulations! Please email sarah@sarahtormey.com with your mailing address to claim your signed copy of Maya Rodale’s  A Groom of One’s Own.

Happy 4th of July!

Sarah Tormey

©2010 Sarah Tormey Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Now you may be wondering why I selected A Groom of One’s Own for my first giveaway. This book holds a very special place in my heart. I began reading an advanced copy of  A Groom of One’s Own while on hospital bedrest. Hours after I turned the first page, my son decided that it was time for his debut. I asked him to wait until I reached the end, but he refused. Instead I had to wait until we were home from the hospital to finish the final chapters. I will always remember A Groom of One’s Own as the book that distracted me from those pesky labor pains!

I am not the only fan of the Writing Girls series. Romantic Times offered glowing praise:  “With its quick pace and wonderful sense of humor, Rodale’s new entry in the Writing Girl series is a smash.”

To learn more about Maya Rodale’s work and the research that inspired her Writing Girl series visit her website at www.mayarodale.com.  Below is a brief description of the book.

A Groom of One’s Own
June 29, 2010
Avon •• ISBN-10: 0061922986 •• ISBN-13: 978-0061922985

Miss Harlow’s Marriage In High Life
London, 1823

A handsome duke. His beautiful soon-to-be duchess. A whirlwind courtship. It is this author’s privilege to report on the event all of London is talking about: the upcoming wedding of the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon to the only daughter of the Duke of Richmond. Every details of the “Wedding of the Year” will be reported in these pages as a London Weekly exclusive.

But I, Miss Sophie Harlow, must confess to a secret infatuation with this “double duke” that can only lead to trouble. It is impossible that this notoriously upstanding gentleman would ever jilt his bride for a scandalous female newspaper writer. And yet…the arrival of a foreign prince, the discovery of a shocking secret, and one passionate kiss could change everything. Will this perfect duke risk the scandal of the year to marry the woman his heart desires?

There are only just three more weeks until the wedding…

©2010 Sarah Tormey Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Librarians perform a service for patrons referred to as Readers’ Advisory. This is when they receive requests to recommend a book or author who might be of interest to a patron’s particular reading tastes. This can be quite a challenge! But a skilled librarian is able to maintain a working knowledge of the popular authors and their read-alikes in any given genre or subgenre. For example, if you enjoy anything written by Mary Balogh, then Eloisa James is another author to whom you will be introduced. Or if you decide that you would prefer a title with a bit more heat, a librarian may hand you a copy of an Anna Campbell title.

How do librarians remain knowledgeable of all the latest and greatest in the romance genre?

They read reviews!  Reviews are of the utmost importance in helping librarians in their purchasing and reader’s advisory decisions. Booklist and Library Journal are the industry leaders. But Romance Writers of America, blogs and webliographies are also crucial.

Librarians don’t shy away from the mass market binding.  In their collections, mass market is like candy. Those titles receive some of the highest circulation numbers and the librarians stand at the ready with their reorders. They understand that their patrons perusing these collections are voracious readers of their preferred genre/subgenre.

Be conscious of the proliferation of audio and e-books. Overdrive® is the largest provider of e-books for libraries in the US. Overdrive’s most downloaded e-books Adult Fiction list is largely made up of romance novels.

Did you know that RWA has a Librarian of the Year award?

I was also very impressed to discover The Romance Writers of America Library Grant – presented by the Public Library Association and the Romance Writers of America. The Romance Writers of America Library Grant is designed to provide a public library the opportunity to build or expand its romance fiction collection and/or host romance fiction programming. The grant consists of $4,500 to be used toward the purchase of romance fiction, author honorariums and travel expenses, and other applicable program expenses.

Have you seen the BOOKLIST WEBINAR on romance?

Click here to watch “Sweet Talk: Romance Fiction in the Library” (11/12/09), featuring a discussion of the state of the genre—in public libraries and in the marketplace. Sponsored by HarperCollins Publishers, Books on Tape and Listening Library (Random House), and Romance Writers of America.

Erica will be checking in throughout the day, so please let her know if you have any questions!

Erica is an Associate Manger with Random House’s Adult Library Marketing Group. In May, she will graduate from Pratt’s School of Library Science! To learn more about the Random House Library Marketing Group, visit www.randomhouselibrary.com and check out their blog.

©2010 Sarah Tormey Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Now that the morning sickness is a thing of the past, I am feverishly writing away.  I believe it was Tessa Dare who said that the middle of her pregnancies were a time of great creativity and I have found that to be true thus far.  Or perhaps it was the power of suggestion.  If that’s the case, thanks Tessa!

My burst of creativity has also inspired a new idea for my blog: a series of guest bloggers! In order to begin 2010 with a bang, I have asked some of my friends and former colleagues in the publishing industry to stop by and offer a peak into the sales and marketing side of the business.

To kick off the series, my January guest blogger will be Erica from Random House’s Library Marketing Department.  In addition to working full time for Random House, Erica is currently studying to become a librarian. Erica will be visiting on January 26th so mark your calendar! And please check back to see who will be visiting in February and March.

If you would like to learn more about my experience as a mass merch sales representative, stop by the RWA NYC Chapter blog later this month to view my guest appearance.  I’ll post the specific date once it is confirmed.

©2010 Sarah Tormey Blog. All Rights Reserved.

In more historical romance news, the acclaimed author of dark, sexy Regency historicals, Anna Campbell, is giving away a signed advance reader copy of her November release, Captive of Sin, to one lucky winner. To enter, email Anna with the names of the hero and heroine of Captive of Sin before August 30th, 2009. Click here to learn more about Anna Campbell’s latest (and for contest hints).

And if you haven’t read Anna Campbell’s Claiming the Courtesan, Untouched or Tempt the Devil, order your copies today!  If you are a fan of Anna Campbell’s work, do you have a favorite? Have you already placed your pre-order for Captive of Sin?  I have!

©2010 Sarah Tormey Blog. All Rights Reserved.

What is on the top of my TBR pile this week? Lord of Pleasure by Delilah Marvelle!  

The second book in Delilah Marvelle’s School of Gallantry series, Lord of Pleasure, hits stores this week. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Delilah Marvelle’s “wickedly humorous historical romances,” her first book in this series, Mistress of Pleasure, was nominated for the Romantic Times Best First Historical Romance award. Despite a sold out print run and much critical acclaim, her publisher regrettably decided not to renew her contract. Now these are challenging times for all publishers and thus many have hard to make difficult decisions. But Delilah Marvelle is determined to save the series that has captured readers’ hearts and imaginations with an exciting contest for Lord of Pleasure.   

SPECIAL CONTEST: From August 4 until August 28, anyone who e-mails Delilah@DelilahMarvelle.com with the School’s quote from Lesson 27 found in the book LORD OF PLEASURE, will be entered to win one of three $50 Visa Cards. Winners will be contacted via e-mail by September 10th.

I applaud Delilah’s efforts to find a new publisher for her series by generating strong sales for her latest release. And I’m thrilled to say that Delilah Marvelle will also be a featured author at Lady Jane’s Salon this evening. The doors open 7pm and readings begin at 7:30 at Madame X www.madamex.com.

I hope to see you there!

©2010 Sarah Tormey Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Of course, there were a few experiences that stood out above the rest. The first being my dinner with New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak (her next release, The Perfect Couple, hits stores on July 28th!) and her agent, Kim Whalen from the Trident Media Group. I won this amazing opportunity through Brenda’s annual online auction to raise money for diabetes research, a cause that is near and dear to her heart. Throughout the entire meal, I felt like I was in a MasterCard commercial. It was as if there was a voice-over running through the entire evening:

Train Ticket to Washington DC - Forty dollars

 Cup of Coffee in the Hotel Lobby – Three dollars

Dinner with Brenda Novak and her Agent - Priceless

Brenda, Kim and a second agent from Trident, Stephanie MacLean, who graciously agreed to join us, offered very insightful advice. I simply could not have started the conference on a better note.

Apart from dinner the first night, my conference highlights included the What Not to Write workshop, featuring Eloisa James and her editor from Avon, Carrie Feron. This look at writing don’t was both humorous and informative. I also enjoyed a wonderful lunch with the co-founders of Share the Love, Maya Rodale and Ann Bleakley. Share the Love collects gently used romance novels and passes them onto non-profit organizations that provide assistance to women in transitional periods of their lives—homeless and domestic violence shelters, prisons and recovery half-way houses.

Overall, RWA was a rewarding and perhaps somewhat exhausting experience. I am certainly looking forward to Nashville in 2010!

©2010 Sarah Tormey Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Though I have attended RWA in the past, I must admit that I was never quite this excited–or nervous. And that is certainly saying something seeing as the first time I attended, I had to introduce two bestselling authors, Madeline Hunter and Allison Brennan, to a room of about one hundred librarians. I practiced my introductions for hours in my hotel room the night before the event. The second time I traveled to RWA was for a breakfast with my clients at the time, Levy Home Entertainment, and a group of Random House authors.  I was also able to go to a session where my clients spoke about their promotional opportunities. This gave me a taste of what the seminars at RWA have to offer and now I am eagerly awaiting my chance to attend three full days of informative sessions.  

While both of my previous trips to RWA were fun and rewarding, this time I am looking forward to pitching Flirting with Scandal and meeting my fellow romance writers. I would welcome any and all advice from those who have attended in the past.  And I would love to hear from anyone else who is suffering from a case of pre-conference jitters!

©2010 Sarah Tormey Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

A Wild Pursuit by Eloisa James

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

The Romantic by Madeline Hunter 

Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooter series 

Why did I chose these five (to be fair all of Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooter novels expands this list far beyond five) novels?  I thought about the books that I simply could not part with.  If my apartment caught fire, I would grab my cat and this list of books.   

Of course, this list is constantly changing as new books are released. If I could add a sixth, I think it would be Goddess of the Hunt by Tessa Dare (on sale in August 2009).  Why? Because I knew the moment I turned the last page that I would reread Goddess of the Hunt in the future.  

Which titles I pick up a second or third time often separate my favorites from the others. When I’m working on my own writing, I mostly limit myself to things I have read before (apart from non-fiction) – I will dabble here and there, rereading a few of my favorite chapters when I’m on the subway or can’t fall asleep at night. Thus, the pile of books on my night stand move to the favorites list. Perhaps not the top five, but if I could save an entire suitcase of books from my burning apartment I would be sure to add Untouched by Anna Campbell, Confessions of a Little Black Gown by Elizabeth Boyle, This Duchess of Mine by Eloisa James and To Seduce a Sinner by Elizabeth Hoyt.  

I’m sure this list will continue to grow as I discover new authors and read new titles by some of my favorites.  And I’m always open to suggestions!

What novels would comprise your top five list?   

©2010 Sarah Tormey Blog. All Rights Reserved.

While the title, The Virtuous Courtesan, worked with the overall premise—an innocent twenty-something lady whose best friend’s unconventional plan leads her to pose as a courtesan—some felt this title a tad too serious. In addition, I believe Flirting with Scandal is a more selling title.

Having nearly completed the first draft of Courting Scandal, my second novel in what I hope will one day become a series, I feel that Flirting with Scandal also ties the two books together. Ever since I began writing Courting Scandal, I’d been looking for a way to link the two books.

I’d spent time brainstorming of new titles, but nothing sounded quite right. It wasn’t until I was standing on my mother-in-law’s farm in Oregon surrounded by a herd of goats that the title, Flirting with Scandal, popped into my head. A field filled with cashmere goats might not be the place most writers go when searching for inspiration, but at least now I know where to turn if I’m ever in need of a title. 

Now I’m off to write the last few chapters of Courting Scandal!

©2010 Sarah Tormey Blog. All Rights Reserved.