So often, we set ourselves up with impossible goals, especially at the beginning of each new year. 

With that in mind, here are my 2011 goals: 

Blog every day. 

Um…and that's it. That's enough. Just trying to think of 365 things to write about is enough to drive me nuts. (Not that it's a far ride or anything.)

I'd love to say that my goal is to finish a few books, get a few contracts and have more releases. Yes, it would be nice, and yes, I have ambitions to do those things. But, I think–for this year, anyway–I'd rather not be mean to me.

In fact, that's my unwritten goal (until now) for 2011. Be nicer to myself. Cut myself some slack. Realize I'm not super-human. And be kind. Not just to everyone else, but–to me. Because, damn it, I deserve it. 

After all…I have to blog everyday. 

Cyn

Cynthia Selwyn (aka C.D. Yates) is the trapped-at-home mom of three and wife of one. When she's not hanging around with her Critters, she's editing for one of several e-publishers, writing erotica for Breathless Press or trying to get her characters (and her four-year-old) to behave.

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Thank you to everyone who participated with our 12 Days of Ebooks celebration!

We had a lot of fun!

And now we wanted to point out a very special Holiday Bash going on at The Romance Author Hotspot! With all this talk of eBooks and eReaders, what a perfect way to end by having a chance to actually win some eBooks and even a Kindle!

The RAH is hosting a 2010 Holiday Bash with your favorite authors.

Party with your favorite authors (some of them you've met right here!)–enter to win a Kindle and many other great prizes!

Meet:
Jill Marie Landis, Donna Alward, Liz Fielding, Lynn Raye Harris, Tessa Radley, Olivia Gates, Cindy Spencer Pape,  Jennifer Shirk, Debora Dennis, Katherine Brandon, Clarissa Yip,  Nina Croft,  Silke Juppenlatz,  R.M. Gilbert. And Special Appearances from Decadent Publishing.

If you're an author or reader, do come and play! These great writers and publisher are willing to answer any questions you have. From publishing to their crazy ideas and habits. But most importantly, they are here for YOU! 

Special thanks to Catherine Mann and Marilyn's Romance Reviews in their contribution of gifts! 

Starting December 24th, all your fabulous authors will have their own posts! Click the LET'S PARTY button up top of the page and go through each of their rooms (posts). Yes! Comment or even ask your authors your favorite questions! You’ll see their fun side, their bad side, maybe find out something you’ve never known, but don’t be shy! They’re here ALL for YOU!

Drawings for prizes and Kindle will take place December 27th! Don’t miss out! http://romanceauthorhotspot.com/

Jennifer

Jennifer fancies herself a more prolific writer than she really is and has an unnatural tendency to use words like "fancies" and "prolific" when describing herself. Please feel free to check out her ebook, The Role of a Lifetime from Samhain Publishing and her recent Avalon romance Georgie on His Mind--where she promises she didn't use either of those words in her stories.

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Welcome back to another day of celebrating E-books! I've got a brand new NOOK –  just under one month old and since I am an e-published author, I support the technology that supports me.  Almost right out the box this little baby is ready to go. I registered my NOOK at the Barnes & Noble site and in seconds I was connected to their website and ready to download books – lickety split. But not being a girl who likes to have only one option – I meandered over to Fictionwise.com to try my hand at sideloading a book. I knew what I wanted for my first purchase, I wanted a holiday romance. I stumbled onto "A Christmas Moon" by Elizabeth Lane!

I enjoyed it so much, I emailed her and asked her to join us here today. Welcome Elizabeth!

MY E-BOOK ADVENTURE

What a great site.  I’m honored to be your guest.  Since more writers are becoming involved in e-book publishing, I’ve chosen to tell you about my own experience.  I’ve written about 30 books for Harlequin and wanted to try something different.  My agent encouraged me to write CHRISTMAS MOON.  I loved every page of this book, but we couldn’t sell it, not even to Harlequin.  No major publisher wanted a Christmas/Western/Time travel. 

Here’s where I was luckier than most.  My agent has his own e-book publishing venture, E-Reads.  We decided to publish it there.  Not sure how my contract compares to others, but I was happy with the terms.  No advance, and the production cost will be deducted from the first royalties, but at 50% of retail I have no complaints.  I knew the book’s success, especially because of the holiday element, hinged on intensive promotion.  I paid for much of it, and also hyped it wherever I could.  I’m a regular on “Petticoats and Pistols” and got a lot of press there. 

The buzz I get indicates that the book is doing well.  I won’t know for sure till I see that statement.   But if CHRISTMAS MOON proves to be a success I owe it to three things.  (1) My agent and I both believed in this book. (2) I was able to work with a publisher I could trust.  (3) The book received plenty of promotion.

Thanks again for having me as your guest.  Wishing you a happy holiday season.

Elizabeth Lane 

Pregnant, unwed and down on her luck, history teacher Emma Carlyle is facing the worst Christmas of her life. Needing some research for her master's thesis on legendary Wyoming lawman J.D. McNulty, she makes a Christmas Eve drive to South Pass City, where J.D. was buried. Heading home, she loses her way in a storm. After her car vanishes, she ends up in 1870, half-frozen and in labor, on the doorstep of a remote mountain cabin. When J.D. himself opens the door with a pistol in one hand and a bottle of whiskey in the other…well, let's just say that sparks start flying. These two lost souls are clearly meant for each other. But there's one problem. Emma has studied everything about J.D.–and she knows he has only a few weeks to live.

Debora

Debora writes romance - all types of romance! Her tastes vary from the paranormal to romantic comedy and everything in between. Believing variety is the spice of life, her website changes frequently to appease her creative spirit! She freely admits to being a caffeine and chocolate addict and loves to talk about romance writing with anyone who'll listen. Her latest release, A Knight in Her Arms, was released August 3rd. Visit her website for me details!

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Hi, all!

 In honor of so many people getting NOOKS, Kindles, and IPads for Christmas, The Passionate Critter blog will be doing a series of posts (for the next 12 Days) on ereaders and epublishing as well highlighting a few ebook recommendations–just in time for your Christmas downloading!

Welcome to the

Are you hoping for an ereader this Christmas but are still not sure which one you want?

Do you have an ereader currently but need some ebook suggestions?Are you still wondering what an ebook is?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, you need to come join us for the fun and discussion from now until December 22!

But right now you might be wondering…WHY EBOOKS?

Check out Lucy Monroe's video here and learn more about the advantages of ebooks!

 watch?v=H3UZ3Z0YfDQ

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for more on this topic!

Jennifer

Jennifer fancies herself a more prolific writer than she really is and has an unnatural tendency to use words like "fancies" and "prolific" when describing herself. Please feel free to check out her ebook, The Role of a Lifetime from Samhain Publishing and her recent Avalon romance Georgie on His Mind--where she promises she didn't use either of those words in her stories.

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Alright, that started maybe Dec. 1st and most of you are probably starting to panic as you realize the malls are opening longer hours, it's getting colder out, and kids are already handing you their Christmas list or Dear Santa letters. 

Here at Passionate Critters…writing never stops even though we do get busy with our every day life and wonder what greatness is going to happen next. But no worries. We all have big plans, whether it's to plan that big holiday party, gather together our friends and family, or just tackle down our muse and force it to product the next big best seller. Yup, that's us. We're all busy bees around here.

As you know, the first A Passionate Christmas Anthology has been released by Decadent Publishing and many of our critters have also added new releases to our growing group of brilliant authors here! So of course, us passionate critters have been cherry, merry, and bright for Santa to bring us many gifts as we share with you all our great happenings. 

So don't go too far. We have so much more news to share. If you're curious as to what each of us critters have been up to, feel free to stop by any of our websites. Our links are just right there. ———-> (On the side bar along with some awesome book covers.) Don't be shy! Drop us a note. I promise we don't bite and many of us are really friendly, I swear. 

What do you have going on this holiday season? What big plans are you hoping to accomplish before Santa arrives?

Clarissa Yip

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Along with Thanksgiving, Black Friday hovers around the corner and many are gearing up to knock out their Christmas shopping with the supposedly spectacular deals that many businesses are offering. Me? i'll just stay home away from the crowd and keep my toes from being stepped on or playing tug aware with the insistent mother who claims their kids needs this toy. It's safer for me that way.

Besides keeping it safe, I'm happy to announce the start of A Passionate Christmas releases from Decadent Publishing. Snowy Encounters will be released this Black Friday! Check out the other stories they will be soon available to complete the anthology!

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope the holidays will bring everyone joy and love!

Banner made especially by Silke Juppenlatz! 

Clarissa Yip

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A Passionate Christmas Anthology by Passionate Critters! Coming only to Decadent Publishing!

From contemporary to paranormal romance, this anthology has a taste of everything for every reader.

We have a great mix of characters, from On-probation Angels, Assassin Witches, Paranormal Investigators, and even the normal city girl on the run. All our unique voices came together to form a collection of short holiday stories that will leave you wanting more. How can you say ‘no’ to this bunch? Set in the small town of Five Oaks, anything is possible. Where mystery, passion, and magic collide…

This has been a great learning experience for all of us and we hope that this anthology will become a tradition that Passionate Critters will continue through the years.

More covers and news to come! 

Clarissa Yip

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1. short stories — the possibility of sitting to read an entire story without needing a bookmark is just AWESOME!  A good book to sit down with at the end of the night…

2. new authors — I need new authors shoved down my throat.  There are authors I would never have considered reading if I hadn't been coerced by that new anthology.

3. cheaper prices — new, hardback (or even paperback) mass market books are EXPENSIVE!  Give me a novella length, epublished book any day, and I might be able to afford it.   

Lucky me, I have an awesome group of writers here who have just contracted a group of stories to be sold as a Christmas Anthology from Decadent Publishing!  Whoot!

Congratulations, ladies.

I CAN'T WAIT TO READ IT!

Bethanne Strasser

Mother of FIVE smarty-pants and married to her Love for twelve years, Bethanne spends her time writing stories that always--without a doubt--end happy.

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I swung my oversized backpack over my shoulders and trudged through the halls. The jansport bag I got last Christmas was bigger than me, but it carried everything I needed for the nine periods of hell and I needed it to bat at any of the freshman kids in my way.  Fresh meat loved standing in the middle of the halls. As a senior, you'd think the workload would be easy and light, and I'd have all the time to hang out at lunch break and maybe poke fun of some of the nerds in the corners talking about the math-atholons.

Oh, wait. That was me. I sat with the dorky kids in the corner, got attacked by spitballs, and laughed at by the head cheerleader, because of my snarly hair and pink braces. 

Okay, so I like to think at times I was one of the cool kids, but hey, a girl can only dream, can't they? But I have to admit, I had it better than any of my friends. I got to hang out with him….yup, the school's hot football quarterback–the cutest kid in school. Alright, I do his homework. So sue me? It was still nice that he thought I was smart, unlike some of the other cliquey people who thought I was a loser. And boy, was he cute! One smile and my knees were weak. One touch and I wanted to faint. 

Well, that was how I felt until I opened my eyes….

And now ten years later, I am still that dorky girl with glasses, minus the chubbiness. People change, people grow, and experiences only makes a person stronger. 

Have you thought back to those good 'ole days and wonder what you could have changed about it? I grew up in a suburb town, my graduation class was small, but there were still a few hundred of us. My high school reunion just passed and I never went. Now I have regrets. I wonder what happened to the group of friends I sat with in the corner, the snobby cheerleader who looked down at everyone, and the cool football star, who probably didn't remember my name. I just remember giggling and laughing a lot, but also those dark moments of insecurity and doubts as an adolescent. 

Some good, some bad memories, but I'm still here. 

So come meet Cara Standford, ex-high school dork and hot God, Brant Thomas, her high school hot guy. 

 Home for a high school reunion, Fashion Editor-in-Chief, Cara Stanford has ulterior motives: make childhood crush and womanizing playboy, Brant Thomas, pay for the hell she endure ten years ago.

Except he doesn't remember her.  

Though publically embarrassed by Cara at the reunion, Brant is intrigued by the beauty, who rejects his every pick-up line and charm. Never allowing a woman through his carefully erected barriers, she stirs up his past with her return, along with an undeniable passion. He sets out to seduce her until a series of accidental mishaps forces him to question Cara’s intentions.

Taken aback by her enemy’s suave attention, will Cara continue with her planned revenge or risk reopening her heart to Brant?

Unforeseen Reunion is available September 30, 2010 through Decadent Publishing!

So, what are your high school memories? Good or bad? 

Clarissa Yip

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