This weekend I attended the New Jersey Romance Writers conference. Also attending were Janet and Megan. Janet, my bff Julie, and I drove up 95 and the Jersey Turnpike in my Prius, which was a pleasure, not only because I have an EZPass and can zip through the tollgates, but also because Janet is a very entertaining companion and Julie is a prime navigator, my own personal JPS (instead of a GPS–get it?).

It is a bit difficult to relate New Jersey to the Regency. I do love New Jersey, though. I love the atmosphere and the people there. Unlike many southerners who say what is polite, Jersey folks are very direct and I like that! I lived there for two years in my younger days, so it always feels a little like going home.

There were Regency authors there. Lots of them! Julia Quinn was the special presenter, giving a talk on “Dialogue: It’s More Than What You Say.” Julia’s was the best and clearest presentation about dialogue that I’ve ever heard. Eloisa James also gave a good workshop about beta heroes. But, as always, it is the informal meetings with fellow authors that I enjoy the most. I managed to spend time with Regency authors Sally MacKenzie (one of our former guests and pictured with me at the booksigning), my pal Sophia Nash, Kristina Cook, and Caroline Linden. And, of course, Janet and Megan, although I did not get to see Megan for nearly as long as I would have liked. Janet and Megan should have more photos for you.

The bookseller’s luncheon was on Sunday, and there I met an impressive young, new Regency author, Maya Rodale, whose first book, a Regency set historical, The Heir and the Spare, just came out this past August. At the luncheon, of course, Janet and I schmoozed with lovely booksellers whose enthusiasm for historical romance is heartening. So never believe it if you hear people say, “Historical is Dead.” It isn’t, and the booksellers are the ones who know!

I’m home now and back to real life. On my agenda this week are revisions of the still unnamed “Pomroy’s Story.”

What’s on your agenda this week?
Were you at the NJ conference (I saw Santa there!) and, if so, did I see you?
Were you with writer friends, at least?

Don’t forget to visit the Wet Noodle Posse blog this month if you are planning on entering the Golden Heart contest. The 2003GH finalists are sharing their tips all month–and giving away critiques!

And Happy Columbus Day

Megan is swamped and unable to blog today, so here is a little nonsense for a Risky Regencies Friday.

A Google Alert came in to my email. I google alert many things– my book titles, my author names, Gerard Butler. Today an alert came in for Diane Perkins. It led to a blog by Elisa Rolle who led to a website that promoted Italian books. (I can’t make that link work anymore, though. You can give it a try) This month the releases were by these authors: Jeanne Savery, Sophia Nash (my pal), Diane Perkins, Sara Blayne, Lois Greiman & Sandra Heath

Diane Perkins! My alter ego!

I had to go back through my records to see that, yes indeed, The Marriage Bargain by Diane Perkins had sold to an Italian publisher. So here, Risky Regencies Readers, is the Italian bookcover and what the website said about the book:

785. Diane Perkins – Contratto di nozze (The Marriage Bargain)
Un matrimonio per interesse può diventare un amore per sempre?
Emma Chambers accetta di sposare Spencer Keenan. All’apparenza sembra un ottimo affare per entrambi: Emma otterrà completa libertà, Spencer avrà chi si occuperà della sua tenuta. Ma quando il giovane viene gravemente ferito in un duello, Emma è al suo fianco per assisterlo: la timida fanciulla che ha preso in moglie per convenienza è diventata la donna che ha sempre sognato. Riuscirà ora a convincerla del proprio amore e a farsi concedere una seconda possibilità?
Nota di MarchRose: Un tenero e commovente romanzo regency sul tema degli amanti separati dalle vicende della vita che si ritrovano ad anni di distanza, più maturi, diffidenti ed amareggiati ma anche più forti ed appassionati. La Perkins, che scrive anche sotto il nome di Diane Gaston, è un’autrice molto abile e sensibile, capace di creare personaggi sfaccettati e davvero credibili dal punto di vista umano, le cui vicende riescono a coinvolgere emotivamente in profondità il lettore.
Livello di sensualità “caldo” (warm)

Nice, huh?

Do you Google Alert something? Care to ‘fess up?

Here’s how to set up your very own Google Alerts

Cheers!
And do not forget to join us for our Jane Lockwood interview on Sunday. Doesn’t Jane look familiar????

We’ve got lots and lots of winners….

I have the great pleasure of announcing the winners for our Risky Regencies Second Anniversary celebration. And there are a lot of ’em.

But first….
The winner of Claudia Dain’s October book, The Courtesan’s Daughter, is…Maggie Robinson!

Congratulations, Maggie!

Our Weekly Winners are:

Monday KimW!

Kim, you win Diane’s hardback/bookclub version of The Marriage Bargain, A Reputable Rake (a rake, not a book) and a hand-embroidered handkerchief for your sniffles.

Tuesday Lois!

Lois, this is such poetic justice! It is too funny that you will have to make a DECISION on which prize you want from Cara:

PRIZE A: A new, never-read, still-in-its-shrinkwrap softbound copy of A PASSION FOR PERFORMANCE: SARAH SIDDONS AND HER PORTRAITISTS published by the J. Paul Getty Museum.

Or

PRIZE B: A Regency novel grab-bag, including two copies of Cara’s award-winning MY LADY GAMESTER, signed and dedicated to whomever you choose; used paperback copies (varying amounts of wear) of Carla Kelly’s SUMMER CAMPAIGN, Carla Kelly’s MISS CHARTLEY’S GUIDED TOUR, Jasmine Cresswell’s LORD CARRISFORD’S MISTRESS (a Fawcett Coventry Regency from 1980), and Patricia C. Wrede’s MAIRELON THE MAGICIAN (a fantasy novel set in Regency England.)

Wednesday Haven!

Haven, you have another choice. Either Elena’s most recent release, LADY DEARING’S MASQUERADE (Romantic Times Top Pick and Best Regency Romance for 2005) or HIS BLUSHING BRIDE, an early anthology Elena participated in, along with authors Alice Holden and Regina Scott (also a Romantic Times Top Pick).

Thursday diane!

(not me, Diane, but diane diane, who commented on Janet’s blog)

diane, you don’t have to decide. You get to win both a signed copy of Janet’s Dedication and The Rules of Gentility.

Friday AndreaW!

Andrea, your prize is a copy of Megan’s book, A Singular Lady, and a DVD of The Lady And The Highwayman, a Barbara Cartland adaptation starring Hugh Grant, and one of the worst movies Megan has ever seen. It is kind of her to dump…er…donate this DVD to you. And…Megan hints at something else she will include in your prize package.

Saturday doglady!

doglady, you win Amanda’s prize, an autographed copy of her August book A Notorious Woman (look for its sequel in April ’08, to find out what happens to Nicolai), plus a fancy beaded bookmark from Ganz (Trust her, it’s pretty)

That’s it for the weekday prizes. Congratulations, ladies!

Now for the Grand Prize winner…Drum roll, please…

Kim Giglio!

Congratulations, Kim! You have won our Grand Prize, a $25 Amazon Gift Certificate.

Our heartfelt Risky thanks to all of you who participated in our week-long Anniversary party. We are the real winners to have readers like all of you. Thank you all for making this the best Risky Regencies week ever!

Winners, send an email to riskies@yahoo.com to tell us where to mail your prizes. Include your real name and any other details we may have requested, like which prize you picked or how you want the books signed.

All our winners were picked entirely at random, just like Bertie told us to do. To see more of Bertie, stop by Risky Regencies often. You never know when he’ll show up.