Tonight I’ll be over at Romance Crush Junkies for a chat, so please join me!
From 8 – 9 p.m. Eastern, there’s a general chat, then I’ll join in from 9 – 10 p.m. Eastern.
The link to join in the chat is here. We’ll talk all about the Play by Play series, or anything else you’d like to chat about. I hope to see you!
I hope you all had a very happy holiday, whether you celebrated Hanukkah or Christmas or Kwanzaa, or in whatever way you celebrate. We had a good one here at the Burton household, but I’m glad it’s over. It’s back to work for me!
I always take this time of year, right before the end of the year, to reflect on what happened, bookwise, throughout the year.
This year I released two more books in the Play-by-Play series: Taking A Shot and Playing to Win. Both books hit the USA Today and New York Times Bestseller lists. Thank you!
I also released The Ties That Bind, the first digital novella release from one of my previous print anthologies. More of those will be coming up next year.
This month, The Best Thing released, which was the final novella in my Kent Brothers series. I’m sad to see this series end as it was such a fun series to write. The Best Thing made the New York Times bestseller list, and I’m so grateful to all of you for embracing this book as you did.
Anyone who thinks writing books is easy should think again. It’s not. It’s tough, and with every book it gets tougher. What makes it worth it is all of you who email me, or post on Twitter and Facebook and here on my blog to talk about my books and my characters. I’m so grateful to all of you for writing and telling me you love my books, or even when you don’t love them so much. Without you, I wouldn’t be able to do what I love so much. Thank you for that, for all your wonderful comments about my books and my characters. You always make me smile.
Starting out 2013 will be the digital novella release of No Strings Attached, which was previously available in the Laced With Desire anthology.
Coming up next year will be two more Play by Play books. In March will be Thrown By A Curve, which will be Alicia Riley’s story, and her hot hot hero, Garrett Scott, followed by One Sweet Ride in June, where you’ll meet Gray Preston, the first of my new group of sports guys. I really think you’ll love these men.
In April will (hopefully!) be the release of Nautier and Wilder, the second anthology I’ve done with awesome author Lora Leigh. This anthology will include my final Wild Riders book, introducing a new Wild Riders hero. I’m very excited about this book!
Releasing in May is Wild Nights, the novella from the no longer in print anthology, Exclusive. Wild Nights features Mike Nottingham, who appeared in the Wild, Wicked and Wanton anthology.
In July I’ll be introducing Hope Flames, my new small town contemporary romance series in the Hot Summer Nights anthology along with novellas from Carly Phillips, Erin McCarthy and Jessica Clare. Hope Smolders, the first Hope single title, will be released in September.
In November, Carina Press will release the Holiday Kisses anthology in print, which includes A Rare Gift, one of my Kent Brothers novellas.
You can find out more about my upcoming books on my Coming Soon page.
Whew! That’s a lot of books releasing next year. And, I hope to have one more surprise coming up next year, and I’ll fill you in soon about that.
Thank you again for being a part of my life and my world of books. Wishing you all a happy and prosperous New Year!
It’s been a stellar year for me, and I can’t let it end without reviewing it here.
Some of the highlights of my year are as follows:
1. I got to be in an anthology with an author I’ve known for years, and have admired since I first became published–Lora Leigh. She knows how much I love her. And if you haven’t read Nauti & Wild, what are you waiting for?
2. I also attended Lora Leigh’s Reader Appreciation Weekend (RAW) for the very first time. Lora has been trying to get me to come to RAW for years, and my schedule hasn’t been conducive to go, but this year I finally got to attend, and I had the best time ever. Honestly, if you get a chance to go to this event, please do. It’s a relaxed, fun atmosphere where readers and authors can interact. I’ve never had so much fun & can’t wait for next year!
3. I made the New York Times and the USA Today bestseller lists for the first time. It was a huge milestone in my career, and I’m oh so grateful to Lora Leigh and to all you wonderful readers for helping make that happen.
4. I wrote my first book for Harlequin’s MIRA line. Since I first started writing romance, it had been my dream to be published by Harlequin. That dream will become a reality when HEART OF A KILLER releases in 2011.
5. Though technically, my first book did release with Harlequin in 2010, through Carina Press, the digital only branch of Harlequin. Carina Press is a brand new publisher for me this year, and in fact, launched their first books this year. So if you haven’t read any of their books yet, go check them out. They have some amazing offerings. And have you all read All She Wants for Christmas?
6. I went to the Romance Writer’s of America (RWA) conference in Orlando, Florida, and made some new friends who I love dearly. Shout outs to my new bench pals Laurie, Vicki and Megan. I can’t wait to see you all next year in New York!
7. I received some of the best covers ever this year, two of which are for books releasing next year. I’m a very lucky author:
8. I was nominated for a RT BookReviews Reviewer’s Choice Award for Erotic Romance for Riding The Night. I’m so honored by this nomination, and I’m in a category with several amazing authors.
9. I published 5 books this year:
10. I wrote 4 books and 2 proposals. Three of those books were full length, one was a novella. The proposals were for my romantic suspense series. I’m really tired just thinking about all the words I wrote this year, plus all the editing I did, and I don’t do even half the word count some of my friends do.
11. And speaking of friends–Several friends kept me sane this year when things got rough and I needed someone to hold my hand or vent or whine. So extra special love to Shannon Stacey, Maya Banks, Larissa Ione, Stephanie Tyler, Lauren Dane and Angela James who are always there for me when I need them.
12. I launched a beautiful brand new website this month, thanks to the brilliance of everyone at Waxcreative Design! And I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.
13. I’ve set up a Facebook Fan Page, so if you haven’t liked my Fan Page yet, please do so. Lots of fun stuff coming up there very soon!
Last but definitely not least–I think of what an amazing year I’ve had–what an amazing decade I’ve had. I first started seriously writing romance in 2001, and published my first book in 2003. It’s hard to believe it’s only been 7 years since I published my first book. I have to acknowledge that I wouldn’t have enjoyed this incredible 7 years without the awesome readers who bought my first books, and who continue to follow me book after book.
Authors are nothing without the readers who support them, and I am humbly, truly grateful for all of you. Thank you all so much for helping me realize my dreams.
I wish you all a happy, healthy, prosperous 2011, filled with hot romance and great books.
Stay safe out there if you’re going out to party tonight!