Sunday, August 2, 2009

Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer!!

By Kate

It’s Summertime and the living is easy--unless you’re here in the Lair where the living is wild and wonderful! And HOT!! Your Banditas have a lovely line-up of guests visiting this month, plus a fabulous contest you'll want to jump on!

Cabana boys, start your blenders!!

We’re starting off with a BANG, so to speak, on August 3, when Jo Davis will join us again to talk about her erotica novel, WHEN ALEX WAS BAD. (Don't worry y'all, it's a fairly PG blog). By the way, this book has been optioned for a movie! And she'll also give us a sneak peek into her future Heat books for NAL and her Station Five Firefighter books.


On August 4, Jessica Andersen returns to the Lair to chat about sexy alpha heroes, demons and chocolate. We'll also take a peek at her new Nightkeepers novel, SKYKEEPERS. Its hero, Michael, is the darkest and most tormented in the series so far. Sounds yummy! In a dark, tormented way, of course!


And we’re thrilled to welcome Tawny’s guest, writing coach Valerie Hayward, on August 6. If you have questions or problems with your latest manuscript--and who doesn't?--Valerie will be here with suggestions and answers and maybe a little inspiration!




On August 7, Kathleen O'Reilly returns to discuss her newest Blaze release, HOT UNDER PRESSURE. The heroine and hero meet through travel problems, so Kathleen will be chatting about such issues and about the characters.





The delightful Tanya Michaels/Tanya Michna will join Bandita Trish on August 15 to talk about her latest release from Harlequin American, A DAD FOR HER TWINS (on sale August 8), and her latest women's fiction novel, BAGGAGE CLAIM (on sale August 5).




And on August 19, Bandita Vrai Anna will host the effervescent Julie Cohen. Her latest book from Little Black Dress is GIRL FROM MARS. Check out that amazing cover! I can't wait to hear more about this book and find out what's happening in Julie's world!




Then on August 21, we're excited to welcome Superromance author Anna DeStefano who makes her first visit to the Lair. To celebrate the release of her first dark paranormal, DARK LEGACY, she'll discuss psychic twins, sibling rivalry and paranormal mayhem and the ways they fit into the story. Sounds thrilling!



On August 27, Gerri Russell returns to the Lair to celebrate the launch of her new Scottish Knights Templar series. The first book, TO TEMPT A KNIGHT, benefitted greatly from the research trip she told us about last year. A research trip to Scotland? Sign me up!!




And here's some CONTEST NEWS you've been waiting for! In August, Anna Campbell is giving away a signed advanced reader copy of her November release CAPTIVE OF SIN to one lucky entrant. All you have to do is name the hero and heroine of CAPTIVE OF SIN. Just a hint, but you might find the answers on her books page at http://www.annacampbell.info/captivesin.html. Just email your answers to Anna at anna@annacampbell.info. The contest closes 31st August, 2009. For more information, please visit Anna's contest page: http://www.annacampbell.info/contest.html. Good luck!


So what are your plans for August? Are you heading off for a family vacation or staying close to home? Exploring the country or exploring the mall? Sitting by the air conditioner or soaking up rays at the beach?

Are you looking forward to fall? Or, if you’re from Down Under, are you counting the days until Spring?

Whatever your plans, we hope you’ll cruise by the Lair and spend some quality time with the Banditas!!

41 comments:

Unknown said...

Is he mine today!

Unknown said...

I have no big plans for August except doing some cleaning out clutter around here. My son goes back to college toward the end of August then I will spend some time in his room for a major clean out. I also need to clean the storage building but will have to wait until its cooler for that. I still have some windows to clean and my carpet, which I will get in time. I could get more done if I would stay away for the computer and books but oh well you got to have some fun!

jo robertson said...

Great lineup, Kate. Thanks for doing such a bang up job of describing all the Lair activities for August.

August is hot, hot, dog days here in California, so we are staying put. Inside. Air conditioner.

Helen said...

Congrats Virginia have fun with him

Kate

What another wonderful month in the lair way to go Ladies you always have wonderful guests and there is always lots of fun.

Anna
I will be dropping by your website very soon I am really looking forward to Captive Of Sin

I am really enjoying the weather we are having here in Oz at the moment beautiful sunny days and nice cool nights great for sleeping but spring feels as if it is in the air already here and I do love the cahnging of the seasons makes me want to freshen everything up and my "library" is just the place to begin.

Have Fun
Helen

Kate Carlisle said...

Virginia, enjoy your day with the GR! He's cross-eyed from working on my manuscript all day. So am I. :-)

You sound like an organized soul, Virginua. And your son sounds like my messy--but wonderful--nephew! I do envy you your soon-to-be clean space.

Kate Carlisle said...

I'm with you, Jo! I'll be planting myself by the air conditioner as often as I can. We get a beach breeze so that's as close as I'll get to actually being there. :-)

Kate Carlisle said...

Helen, your weather sounds wonderful! And August in the Lair should be wonderful, too. :-)

And doesn't Anna's contest make your mouth water?? Yum! An advanced reader copy of her CAPTIVE OF SIN sounds sinfully delicious!

Leslie said...

So many wonderful releases this month. Now I just need to find the time to read them. :)

My kids go back to school on the 10th so our summer break is almost over. Then the craziness of homework, football games and band festivals starts. Can't wait. LOL

Congrats on nabbing the GR Virginia. :)

Jane said...

Congrats on the GR, Virginia.

Another fun month at the Lair. I don't have any special plans for August. Summer is passing by quickly. Fall is my favorite season, so I am looking forward to the cool comfortable weather.

Blodeuedd said...

My plans is one week vacation and then school starts *sighs*- So busy, busy

Joan said...

My plan is to keep planning vacations :-)

In Sept my BFF and I are going away for a long girls only weekend in Savannah. Much wine and cheesecake will be involved.

As for August...my two things are baking my entries for the KY State Fair...only doing 4 cakes and 6 kinds of cookies....and a Keith Urban concert!!!! Woohoo!!!! I may have to revive my groupie groove and follow that fine boy around....

:-)

Sorry to kind of rub it in, but we've had a great summer here in KY if not a bit rainy. For the first time ever, we had a July without ONE 90 degree reading!

Now if we could just do something about those mosquitos!

Louisa Cornell said...

Way to go Virginia! Put the GR to work cleaning something. He needs the exercise!

My biggest plan for the month of August is to finish my current WIP come H - E - Double hockey sticks (in honor of Vrai Anna) or high water. Other than that my plan is to TRY and stay cool and TRY and stay sane while working at Wally World. Wish me luck!

My stack of TBR books is taking on a life of its own because I have promised I would not read until I got another 100 pages done on this book. It is SO tempting! They keep calling my name in the night!

And all of these HOT Bandita Books! It's just not fair!

Nancy said...

Virginia, have fun with the rooster! Looks as though you have a busy August.

August 1 is a warning of summer's end. The boy starts school later in the month, just before the dh and I start teaching again, so we're all falling into preparations of various kinds. I'm teaching a familiar class, so I won't have a lot of prep to do. I'm hoping this will give me time to whittle the TBR pile and to write more. Now I'm trying to get out submissions from my National appointments.

Nancy said...

BTW, I've read Jessica Andersen's, Kathleen's O'Reilly's, and Anna DeStefano's books. So far, I've read part of Gerri Russsell's. They are all fabulous and HOT. Which is in keeping with August around here.

Pissenlit said...

Oooh! Busy but awesome month!

Congrats, Virginia!

My plans for August? A couple of softball games, a bbq or two, a first cousin once removed's wedding shower and giving some people who try to celebrate my birthday the runaround. :D

Gannon Carr said...

What a fantastic lineup!! My August is pretty much spoken for. My daughter (and youngest child) turns 10 on Tuesday. How did she hit double digits already?!

The kids start school on the 12th, so vacation time is over. Our schedules will be full with homework, sports, etc.

I'm definitely looking forward to fall. It's a beautiful time here in the mountains.

Anna Campbell said...

Hey, Virginia, it's a summer chicken for you!

Kate, what an amazing run of guests we've got coming up in August. Sounds like a nonstop party to me!

We're actually suffering a late cold snap here in Queensland. August often can be treacherous - wintry westerly winds that cut straight through you. I looked at the pool yesterday and thought, hey, only about six weeks and I'll be in it again. Hard to believe when I'm wrapped up like the Michelin man!

Hey, guys, good luck for the contest! I'd love the book to go to a Bandita Buddy!

pjpuppymom said...

Great lineup! My August will be busy with keeping the house in showing shape and hoping someone comes along who wants to buy it. I also have a stack of books to read and review. No travel plans but I hope to get more pool time in. I haven't done as much of that this summer as I would like.

Anonymous said...

Congrats, Virginia! And thanks so much for the shout-out, Kate :) I'm looking forward to hanging out with you guys on Tuesday!

August? Eek! Where has this year gone???

Plan-wise, I see lots of mowing in my future. With all the rain we've been getting in the northeast, the grass is flourishing quite unseasonably ... as are the slugs and mushrooms!

Pat Cochran said...

Great schedule of guest authors and bloggers! I am looking forward to seeing them in the
Lair.

Going to have a most busy August!
August 8 includes part of our
parish's anniversary doings with
a dinner/dance, August 15 at noon
we will gather for a family lunch
celebrating the six family b-days,
August 15 at 5 pm we (Dad, Mom,
DD1)will participate in the choir
at the Mass celebrating the 35th
anny, August 19-24 Honey and I
will stay with five grandkids
while Son & DIL drive eldest
grandchild Ashley to Indiana
where she will attend Earlham
College. If I am missing at the
end of the month, you will know
I am resting in my bed!

Pat Cochran

Nancy said...

PJ, I'm also way behind where I'd hoped to be at this point in the summer. I admire your ability to stay ready for buyers to look. We are so clutter-prone that we'd be cleaning constantly.

Which we maybe should anyway. . . .

Nancy said...

Jessica, you may've noticed that I finished Skykeepers. As a non-cook, I always envy characters like Sasha, who know there way around a kitchen. It's a smokin' story, full of conflict and passion, and I enjoyed it a lot.

Nancy said...

Pat, that sounds like a busy month. I guess you'll be ready for a rest by the time Labor Day rolls around. :-)

Nancy said...

Leslie, it's hard to believe school is starting already. I remember showing up for band practice a couple of weeks ahead of time and being issued a uniform--a wool jacket and slacks that felt unbelievably heavy in the August humidity.

Nancy said...

Jane, you and the dh are kindred souls. He suffers through summer and loves fall. Having grown up in the mountains of Colorado and attended college in New Hampshire, he says he likes being in a place with four distinct seasons.

Nancy said...

Blodeuedd, one week, and then school? Wow, you've had a busy summer!

Nancy said...

Joan, we've had so much rain that the humidity is stifling. Beats last summer's drought but just barely.

And your Fall plans include M&M now, right?

Nancy said...

Gannon, I feel your shock with the double digits. I'm still getting used to the boy being taller than I am. Urk!

Nancy said...

Pissenlit, I used to play softball. Back when I had better knees. Your plans sound like fun.

Joan said...

are the slugs and mushrooms!


Ugh! Almost as bad as mosquitos....

Almost....

I've had mushrooms popping up in my mulch. My apologies to any fairies beneath them but I kick them down!

And yup, Nancy...M&M's on my schedule...as is your bracelet :-)

Leslie said...

Nancy ~ my eldest is in the high school marching band and she has band camp the two weeks before school starts. We live in the burbs of Phoenix so they march at 7am when it's only 90 degrees or so. I don't envy her one bit. :)

We always started school after Labor Day when I was a kid but now they start them earlier, like college.

I've read some really good reviews of Jessica Andersen's series. I might need to give it a try.

pjpuppymom said...

YAY! Joanie is coming to M&M! Doing the happy dance! :)

Nancy said...

Joan, you may have to settle for coveting Posh's jacket. The bracelet doesn't coordinate with my fall suits.

That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it. So far.

Nancy said...

Leslie, I don't envy your daughter either. We used to go in two weeks before school and work weekday mornings from 9 to about noon. I'm pretty sure we started after Labor Day, but we didn't have a lot of teacher work days back then, either.

Jessica's giving away books on Tuesday, and we'll have the usual click-throughs on the blog itself. Plus a fabulous excerpt. I really love those books. They're meaty, but the romance in every one is just as strong as the plot. Although they're a series, each one stands alone.

Nancy said...

PJ, having Joan at M&M will be great fun, but we'll have to watch her. That list of hers is gettin' longer with every conference she attends. *g*

Fedora said...

Very cool, Kate! Plans for August? To enjoy the rest of vacation before the kids head back to school, and to dig through enough of the clothes and clutter to neaten things up a bit and find the outfits the youngest will need for school!

Hopefully also reading time!

Having fun with the GR, Virginia?

Pat Cochran said...

BTW, Nancy,

I forgot to mention that during the
week I'll be working on a publicity
project: our parish Fall Festival
will be coming up soon!

Pat Cochran

Nancy said...

Fedora, I hope the cleaning project goes well and the outfits turn up. The boy will need additional clothes because he has grown. Again.

Nancy said...

Pat, you really will deserve a break when all that's done!

limecello said...

August? The usual - plus a nice trip to NYC :) (usual, as in having no idea what to expect in and for the future :P )

Congrats on the GR, Virginia!

Kathleen said...

I've been hearing great things about Anna's release! Can't wait to read it, and I'm looking forward to visiting on Friday.