September 26th is the start of Banned Books Week. This cause is near and dear to our hearts, as most likely the vast majority of books on TKA's list would find themselves reduced to ash because of "unsuitable content" without protection from the First Amendment. Like most avid readers, we are grateful for the difference books have made in our lives, particularly the classics that oft find themselves the subject of complaint such as THE CATCHER IN THE RYE, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, THE LORD OF THE FLIES and THE SUN ALSO RISES. More modern authors who frequently find themselves in the midst of controversy include JK Rowling (HARRY POTTER), Phillip Pullman (HIS DARK MATERIALS) and Cecily von Ziegesar (GOSSIP GIRL).

The point is, freedom of expression is constantly challenged. We should never assume the books we treasure will always be patiently waiting for our consumption on the shelf of a nearby public library. We hope you'll find out more about how to support Banned Books Week on the American Library Association's official website.

In TKA news, we were so excited to see Gena Showalter's THE DARKEST WHISPER premiere at the #8 spot on the New York Times bestseller list! It always amazes us to see one of our clients achieve this major level of success, and the fab Miss Gena never disappoints.

This month we were thrilled to interview Louisa Edwards, who formerly served as an editor at a major NYC house. Now this dynamic debut author and die-hard Top Chef fan is experiencing the sweet taste of success from the other side of the desk with the first title in her culinary romance series, CAN'T STAND THE HEAT. Don't miss out on the chance to talk to her "live" in the TKA chat room on Wednesday, September 30th at 9pm. Also, we have a delightful article from recent RITA award winner Rosemary Clement-Moore, on how authors can whip themselves into shape using her "Five Step Program for Thin-Skinned Writers." Enjoy!

TKA: You courted a paranormal idea before discovering, “the one,” in Miranda Wake and the A RECIPE FOR LOVE series. How did you know this particular story was the perfect match for you, and what do you recommend other aspiring authors do to discover theirs?

Louisa: Although I love to read paranormal romance, it turned out to be an unnatural fit for me as a writer. When Deidre gently broke the news that the manuscript she signed me on wasn’t strong enough for submission to editors, she encouraged me to really take the time to examine my interests and figure out what I connected with as a writer. At the time, I’d just finished reading THE OMNIVORE'S DILEMMA by Michael Pollan, and started KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL by Anthony Bourdain. I was (okay, still am) obsessed with shows like Hell’s Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, and Top Chef. And I thought, “I’ve done so much research on cooking, food, and chefs already—and I love it! Would be happy to do more!” I wasn’t at all sure that NY would go for a book with a chef hero—it can sometimes be hard to break out of the mold of “acceptable” hero

careers—but I knew I wasn’t the only woman out there with a crush on Gordon Ramsay. So I decided to write the book I wanted to write, without worrying about publication. That’s the best advice I can give—don’t write to a trend. Don’t hem yourself in with too many rules about what “works” and what doesn’t. Write something you feel intimately, personally, passionately connected to, and chances are, others will connect to it, too.

TKA: From initial outline to finished product, which one of the characters in CAN’T STAND THE HEAT changed the most and which one asserted his or herself from the very beginning and maintained that same personality throughout the writing process? Do you feel that you have absolute control over what your characters say and do, or do they dictate it to you?

Louisa: I think my heroine’s younger brother, Jess, changed the most from initial concept to finished book. He started out pretty wispy and young in my head, and I was really forced to let him grow up on the page. I love how he turned out. Adam Temple, my hero, was such a strong force from the minute he showed up in my head—he really kept his voice and his particular personality from the outline onward. Even his appearance in the second book, ON THE STEAMY SIDE, was a cinch to write! I just know him, inside and out.

Characters can sometimes surprise me; it’s not so much that they dictate to me, but that I’ll discover some new element to them that opens up the plot in new ways. That only comes from writing them, and sometimes from pointed questions from my editor. : )

TKA: When it comes to culinary skills, with whom do you identify more? Food connoisseur but clueless cook, a la Miranda Wake, or a star chef like Adam Temple?

Louisa: There’s a little bit of both Miranda and Adam in me. I love to eat—love the process of evaluating food and teasing out the ingredients by flavor and smell. But I also adore getting in the kitchen and getting my hands in whatever I’m making. The process of developing new recipes has been one of my favorite discoveries through this series.

TKA: What is your favorite food? And when I say favorite, I mean biting into this particular dish leaves you in a state of pure, unadulterated bliss.

Louisa: Asking me my favorite food is like asking me my favorite book—it changes daily, hourly, depending on my mood at the moment. Right this second, I’m in a hotel room in New York, and feeling steeped in nostalgia for my old home. I’d have to say, favorite food today is an H&H bagel with salty smoked salmon, cream cheese, ripe tomato, briny capers, and a little red onion for bite. Pretty much heaven on a plate!

TKA: If you could get a cooking lesson from any chef, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

Louisa: It’s so hard not to say Julia Child! But that would sort of be a waste of an answer, since we have access to so many wonderful cooking lessons from Julia in the form of her delightful PBS series. I think I’m going to go for Eric Ripert, the exceptionally gorgeous French chef of Le Bernardin, often named the top restaurant in New York City. Ripert has an undisputed reputation as a culinary genius with seafood, putting modern twists on classical preparations. I find fish difficult and a little intimidating to cook, so I’m sure I could benefit from his expert tutelage. Plus, he’s got probably the sexiest accent I’ve ever heard.

TKA: What, if anything, do you miss about sitting behind the editor’s desk rather than in front of it? What are some of the perks and pitfalls you’ve discovered in your new career as a full-time writer?

Louisa: I miss the camaraderie of working in an office—the enthusiasm over new projects, the fun of discussing authors and their work. But being on this side of the desk has given me new insights into what authors go through, obviously, and initiated me into a sisterhood of very supportive, inspiring, and hilarious writers. I wouldn’t trade my new author friendships for anything in the world! I wouldn’t mind getting paid to read free books, though, like I used to be as an editor…

TKA: What’s up next in the A RECIPE FOR LOVE series?

The next Recipe for Love novel is celebrity chef Devon’s story. ON THE STEAMY SIDE will be out in March of 2010, and I can’t wait for you all to meet the woman who explodes into his life and takes him by storm! Here’s a short description of the story:

When Lilah Jane Tunkle fled her dull life in Virginia for the bright lights of New York City, she didn’t expect to wind up a nanny to a gorgeous celebrity chef’s ten-year-old son. Working for the delectable Devon Sparks is a sure-fire recipe for disaster, especially after Lilah gets a tantalizing taste of his perfectly seasoned kisses.

Devon’s not sure he can handle one more surprise ingredient in his life—he quit his popular TV show, his culinary reputation is on the line, and now the son he barely knows is back for seconds. Lilah’s Southern sass is supposed to keep the boy in line, but soon enough she’s teaching Devon a thing or two about homespun food…and turning up the heat.

Join us for a very special chat with Louisa Edwards on Wednesday, September 30th at 9pm ET. She has plenty to share about her experience as a first-time author with a formidable editorial background, along with details on her upcoming projects. Of course, there will also be fun trivia and prizes!

Five Step Program for Thin-Skinned Writers

When I “got serious” about writing, I realized I was going to have to get used to criticism and rejection. So I joined a critique group, of course, and learned a lot about being a writer that didn’t really have to do with actual writing.

Criticism will not kill you. A critique group is useful for more than just improving your prose. It gets you used to taking criticism. I was stunned the first time someone ripped my chapter apart and I didn’t die… or cry, though that was more of a struggle. Once I realized I could listen to criticism to my face, reading it in print didn’t seem so huge a deal. Relatively speaking.

It’s a book, not a baby. Once you stop treating your project like your progeny, then criticism is slightly less painful. (Or so I hear.) But the real danger in being too emotionally wrapped up in your book, too in love with a concept or scene, is that it can blind you to good suggestions. If you fight for something, make sure it’s for a reason other than sentimentality.

The more I curse, the more right they are. I’ve noticed that the more a comment upsets or angers me, the more I need to pay attention to it. Chances are, I’m mad because subconsciously I know they’re right.

Have a reason for doing it “wrong.” My editor and I have a great relationship. Rarely do I disagree with her revisions. (Not after I’ve cursed and then calmed down anyway.) But when I do stick to my guns, I give her a reason why, and she’s usually cool with it. The reverse is also true.

You always hurt, the ones you love. On the flip side, when I critique, the more I like something, the pickier I am. This is the principle behind “good” rejections: the editor cared enough to put effort into her response. I’ve decided this means that when my editor gives me a six page revision letter, what she’s really saying is “I love this project.” (It makes me feel better, anyway, so I’m sticking to it.)

For this, as much as any other reason, I evaluate all trusted critiques carefully, and make sure I listen to both my instincts, and my logic as I revise my work.

QUESTION*: Suppose you had the opportunity to time travel and meet up with your future self 5 years from now. What things might you discover have changed about the way the industry operates? What do you think would have endured the current turmoil despite adverse predictions?

LUCIENNE DIVER: I don’t think that books in their printed form will be going away any time soon, certainly not within the next five years. E-books, however, will grow their market share. I don’t see this edging out traditional publishing, since we’ll still need houses to mold, edit, market and distribute quality work.

There’s been a lot of talk recently about the role of an agent in this future, though I’m sure we’ll

discover that agents are as important as ever as advocates for writers, both in terms of getting them the best deals possible and in protecting their rights.

NEPHELE TEMPEST: Despite all the excitement, and even my own love for e-books, I think good old fashioned paper volumes will endure. There’s nothing quite like being able to flip back and forth between two pages, look at beautiful color illustrations, or curl up with a paperback in the tub without worrying about anything beyond a few curled or damp pages.

ELAINE SPENCER: I think that we'll be seeing a lot more people reading e-books. In five years the price of the e-reader will surely have dropped substantially making it much more accessible and in demand for the average reader, it won't be such an investment. I also think that our brick and mortar stores will be finding creative ways to integrate in store sales with e-books. I can't place my finger on what, but they'll definitely be striving to find new ways to get people in the doors. For those of us in the business, we're certainly going to be paying even more attention to sales numbers and finding ways to get both formats of titles into as many readers' hands as possible. Is this answer going in any type of time capsule that is going to come back to haunt me?

MELISSA JEGLINSKI: Five years from now, I expect we'll be doing a lot more in digital sales. I think electronic reading devices will be much more affordable and readers will be downloading their favorite books like crazy. I believe the romance industry will still be doing very strong because romance is timeless.

CRAZY BEAUTIFUL
by Lauren Baratz-Logsted | Houghton Mifflin

Last year, Lucius Wolfe blew off his hands in a science experiment gone bad. Last year, Aurora Belle's mother died. Now both Lucius and Aurora are about to start sophomore year in a new school. On the very first day they meet, forming an instant connection. But high-school politics runs against the notion of the girl everyone wants to be around having anything to do with the boy no one wants to be around, the boy whose nickname is Hooks. Yet still, their connection deepens and the unlikely friendship grows. But there's another boy who likes Aurora, Jessup Tristan. Aurora doesn't return Jessup's affection as he would like and bad things start to happen. Aurora's father, the school librarian, is falsely accused of making improper advances against a female student, the daughter of the vice principal, and the rumor is spread that it was Lucius who fingered Mr. Belle. Can Lucius clear Mr. Belle's name, clear his own name, and finally win the girl?

ACCORDING TO JANE
by Marilyn Brant | Kensington

It begins one day in sophomore English class, just as Ellie Barnett's teacher is assigning Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice". From nowhere comes a quiet 'tsk' of displeasure. The target: Sam Blaine, the cute bad boy who's teasing Ellie mercilessly, just as he has since kindergarten. Entirely unbidden, as Jane might say, the author's ghost has taken up residence in Ellie's mind, and seems determined to stay there. Jane's wise and witty advice guides Ellie through the hell of adolescence and beyond, serving as the voice she trusts, usually far more than her own. Years and boyfriends come and go - sometimes a little too quickly, sometimes not nearly fast enough. But Jane's counsel is constant, and on the subject of Sam, quite insistent. Stay away, Jane demands. He is your Mr. Wickham. Still, everyone has something to learn about love - perhaps even Jane herself. And lately, the voice in Ellie's head is being drowned out by another, urging her to look beyond everything she thought she knew and seek out her very own, very unexpected, happy ending.

SLOW BURN
by Pamela Britton | Harlequin

After her friend secretly enters her in a contest to win a dinner date with NASCAR driver Braden James, Dana Johnson isn't exactly eager to be swept off her feet by someone who'll disappear after dessert. But will their slow burn ignite into a very real romance?

THE SPLENDOR FALLS
by Rosemary Clement-Moore | Random House

Sylvie Davis is a ballerina who can’t dance. A broken leg ended her career, but Sylvie’s pain runs deeper. What broke her heart was her father’s death, and what’s breaking her spirit is her mother’s remarriage—a union that’s only driven an even deeper wedge into their already tenuous relationship.

Uprooting her from her Manhattan apartment and shipping her to Alabama is her mother’s solution for Sylvie’s unhappiness. Her father’s cousin is restoring a family home in a town rich with her family’s history. And that’s where things start to get shady. As it turns out, her family has a lot more history than Sylvie ever knew. More unnerving, though, are the two guys that she can’t stop thinking about. Shawn Maddox, the resident golden boy, seems to be perfect in every way. But Rhys—a handsome, mysterious foreign guest of her cousin’s—has a hold on her that she doesn’t quite understand.

Then she starts seeing things. Sylvie’s lost nearly everything—is she starting to lose her mind as well?

HEALING LUKE
by Beth Cornelison | Sourcebooks

Covered with burn scars, having lost an eye and a thumb in a nearly fatal accident, Luke Morgan's days as a ladies' man are over. But his bitterness, far more than his injuries, threatens to tear apart his family and their business. Abby Stanford is a physical therapist on vacation in Florida. When she meets Luke, she understands everything he's going through. She finds herself powerfully attracted to him, damaged though he believes he is. Abby can look beyond his pain and anger to see the man he is inside, enabling Luke, too, to see himself as whole and desirable once again...

CAN'T STAND THE HEAT
by Louisa Edwards | St. Martins Press

For sharp-tongued Miranda Wake, the chance to spend a month in Adam Temple’s kitchen to write an exposé is a journalistic dream come true.  Surely Miranda can find a way to cut the hotshot chef down to size once she learns what really goes on at his trendy Manhattan restaurant.  The trouble is, she never expected Adam to find out her most embarrassing secreT:  this critic has no idea how to cook.    

As for Adam, well, he’s not about to have his reputation burned by a critic who doesn’t even know the difference between poaching and paring.  He’ll just have to give the tempting redhead a few private lessons of his own—teaching Miranda what it means to cook with passion.

DARK ROAD RISING
by P.N. Elrod | Penguin

The first new Vampire Files novel in four years! Vampire P.I. Jack Fleming is playing babysitter to Gabriel "Whitey" Kroun, a dangerously unstable mobster-and newly-created vampire-with deadly secrets to hide. As Jack tries to unravel the mystery surrounding Kroun's undead state, he gets caught between his charge's violent outbursts and some syndicate torpedoes looking to rub them both out, leaving him vulnerable to an even deadlier threat- the return of an old enemy desperate to unlock the secrets of Jack's vampire immortality.

GHOST HUNTRESS: THE GUIDANCE
by Marley Gibson | Houghton Mifflin

Kendall and her ghost hunting team is the talk of Radisson, Georgia, but one person isn’t so pleased. Courtney Langdon doesn’t appreciate Kendall’s new popularity or her relationship with Jason, Courtney’s ex.

So Courtney begins dabbling in the paranormal world. At first it’s all a game to draw attention away from Kendall. But Courtney doesn’t know what she’s getting into—or what wants in her. This is one game that’s about to turn deadly serious.

THE OTHER SIDE: A TEEN'S GUIDE TO GHOST HUNTING AND THE PARANORMAL
by Marley Gibson, Patrick Burns and Dave Schrader | Graphia

It used to be you needed a crystal, a psychic, or a Oijia board to make contact with the spirit world. So who would think science would make it possible for just about anyone to experience a ghostly connection? Cameras, recorders, computers, magnetic field readers and other scientific means are now the tools of the trade. But there’s so much available, how does the average teen weed through it all to create the best possible ghost hunting team? Here to help sort it all out are three of today’s leading investigators of the field.

Together, Patrick Burns, Dave Schrader, and Marley Gibson have more than ten years of experience. They’ve put together this guide to impart their knowledge and wisdom on to the next generation of ghost hunters.

A HEART EXPOSED: TALKING TO GOD WITH NOTHING TO HIDE
by Steven James | Revell

The prayers of the people in Scripture contain everything from powerful stories of deliverance and explosions of heartfelt praise to desperate cries for mercy and incisive observations about the injustices of life. In the Psalms alone we find both complaints and outbursts of amazement along with whispered pleas that throb with grief and pain. Why then do our prayers today often seem so bland in comparison? What would happen if we, too, started praying honest prayers, raw with the realities of life, tender with the realization of grace?

Steven James presents a collection of image-rich prayers that do just that--some etched out of the granite of suffering, others polished by the beauty of praise. All reflect a heart laid bare before God and invite readers to do the same.

LORD OF SIN
Susan Krinard | Harlequin

Nuala is descended from ancient witch folk, eternally bound to help others find love. But after the death of her husband, she harbors no such dreams for herself. Then she meets Sinjin, the Earl of Donnington, and feels something stir within her for the first time in centuries….

Handsome and scandalously tempting, Sinjin has never met a woman he couldn't seduce. Yet from the moment he sees the stunning young widow, he knows he wants more than just one night of sin—and even the discovery of the dark secret they share won't stop him from trying to possess her forever. But first he must free her from her immortal bondage, which means robbing her of her magic for all time….

BLACK AT HEART
by Leslie Parrish | Penguin

Wyatt Blackstone has done his best to mask his romantic feelings for Lily Fletcher, the brilliant but fragile young woman whose technical skills have helped him track countless violent Internet predators. But now he must fin out if the woman he loves has become a rogue agent obsessed with cold-blooded revenge...

SIMPLY WICKED
by Kate Pearce | Kensington

Anthony Sokorvsky's only rule in life is not to have any, especially when pleasures of the flesh are involved. But his dark sexual pursuits have led him down a treacherous path that may cost him his fortune if he doesn't end his recklessness and wed. His salvation comes in the form of Marguerite Lockwood. Just one day in Marguerite's presence leaves Anthony lusting after her and fantasizing about all the ways he can bring her to new heights of delirious, scorching ecstasy...When Anthony Sokorvsky offers to escort Marguerite around London, she's not sure what to make of the intriguing - yet very sensual - man. And when he wastes no time in seducing her, she finds herself thoroughly aroused. No man before has managed to ignite the wild desire she now feels deep within her. Surrendering completely to Anthony's expert caresses, Marguerite is ready to finally have her erotic needs met - and to fulfil her lover's most wicked longings.

MUST LOVE HELLHOUNDS
by Nalini Singh, et al. | Penguin

From New York Times bestselling authors Charlaine Harris and Nalini Singh and national bestselling authors Ilona Andrews and Meljean Brook, tales of man's worst friend...In these hound-eat-hound worlds, anything goes... and everything bites. Follow paranormal bodyguards Clovache and Batanya into Lucifer's realm, where they encounter his fearsome four-legged pets, in Charlaine Harris's The Britlingens Go to Hell. Seek out a traitor in the midst of a guild of non- lethal vampire trackers, one that intends to eradicate the entire species of bloodsuckers, in Nalini Singh's Angels' Judgment. Find out why the giant three-headed dog that guards the gates of Hades has left the underworld for the real world-and whose scent he's following-in Ilona Andrews's Magic Mourns. Embark on a perilous search for the kidnapped niece of a powerful vampire alongside her blind- and damn sexy-companion and a hellhound in Meljean Brook's Blind Spot. These four novellas by today's hottest paranormal authors will have hellhound lovers everywhere howling.

THE WELL
by A.J. Whitten | Houghton Mifflin

If Hamlet thought he had issues, he should have talked to Cooper Warner. His mother’s normally sunny demeanor has turned into something—homicidal.And what’s worse, she has help in her hunt for Cooper: A ravenous monster living at the bottom of the old well in the woods behind their house. She’s determined to deliver her 14-year-old son straight into the creature’s eager clutches. Cooper turns to his girlfriend, Megan, for help, but then, to his horror, the creature takes her prisoner. Now, it’s up to Cooper to fend off his murderous mother, finish his Hamlet paper, and enter the putrid lair at the bottom of the well to rescue Megan. And when he confronts the creature, Cooper must make the toughest decision of his life: kill, or be killed.

Inspired by Hamlet, THE WELL puts a terrifying twist on the Shakespearean classic.

THE GHOST CHRONICLES: A MEDIUM AND A PARANORMAL SCIENTIST INVESTIGATE PARANORMAL TRUE HAUNTINGS
by Maureen Wood and Ron Kolek | Sourcebooks

A unique collection of episodes from the case files of the New England Ghost Project

Journey into a world of the unexplained and the unknown, a world where what you can't see captivates all your attention. A trance medium and a paranormal scientist team up in this spellbinding collection of 17 supernatural mysteries, a mere sampling of the spooky episodes in their vast ghost hunting case files.

Former skeptic Ron Kolek, with his infrared camera and EMF meter, and fifth-generation psychic Maureen Wood, with her sixth sense and pendulum, have become experts in investigating ghosts, whether they're helping the descendant of an accused witch, checking out the spirits of Lizzie Borden's slain parents, or assisting a monk with an exorcism. Their unique partnership adds a new dimension, and their adventures will test the senses and challenge everyday thinking…and just might make you believe in the paranormal.