Happy Halloween from the Bookshelf Frog...er...Cat

Somebody's gonna pay for this!


Hop along with the Bookshelf Frog Cat to this week's Friday Ark!

New This Week - 4 books by 4 bestselling authors

Not the Marrying Kind
Romantic Comedy by Hailey North
Avon Books ~ October 30, 2007

Sixteen years ago, world-famous artist Harriet P. Smith was the nerdiest girl at Doolittle High School, and Jake Porter was the new boy in town. Charismatic, handsome, and instantly popular, Jake was way out of her league. Harriet was shocked when he asked her to the graduation dance . . . and devastated when he left town for good the next morning.

Only his father's remarriage could bring Jake, now a hot shot L.A. music exec, back to small-town Arkansas. His only consolation is the stunning woman with the mysterious green eyes he meets at a local bar. He's got no idea he was a part of one of the best nights of her life—or that he's about to fall for her as hard as she once did for him. Jake's never been the marrying kind, but another night with Harriet might make him change his mind.

Visit Hailey North.

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The Snow Empress
A Thriller by Laura Joh Rowland
St. Martin's Minotaur ~ October 30, 2007

The eight-year-old son of Chamberlain Sano mysteriously vanishes. Sano discovers that Lord Matsudaira, his political rival, has had the boy kidnapped and sent to the northern frontier island of Japan known as Ezogashima (Hokkaido). Something is rotten there: Communications between Ezogashima and the capital have broken down. Sano and his wife Reiko travel to Ezogashima to rescue their son and find themselves caught up in big trouble that involves the murder of a woman who belonged to the native Ainu people, a samurai warlord gone dangerously mad, and escalating racial conflict between the Ainu and the Japanese. Sano and Reiko must solve the murder if they want to escape Ezogashima alive.

Visit Laura Joh Rowland.

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Kiss or Kill
Romantic Suspense by Lyn Stone
Silhouette ~ November 1, 2007

Special Agent Renee LeBlanc was deep undercover, close to exposing the leader of a terrorist cell. Then he showed up in the midst of her op. Mark Alexander, the only man who had ever upset Renee's uncanny instincts—a man who could blow her cover with a word. The desire between them was as strong as ever, but who was Mark really—ally or foe? Hero or villain? Lover…or assassin? These were decisions she had to make. Heaven help her if she was wrong.

Visit Lyn Stone.

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Mouth to Mouth
Sexy Romantic Comedy by Erin McCarthy
Kensington Brava ~ November 6, 2007

It was just supposed to be your average stakeout. My partner and I would scope out both the coffee shop and Laurel Wilkins, the latest target of con man Trevor Dean's scheme to meet women online and bilk them of their money-and everything else. So I went inside to get a better look. So she happened to be gorgeous with a body that made me temporarily forget how to order coffee. So she knew my name—Russ Evans—and hugged me like we were more than friends. So... what the $#@ is going on?

Visit Erin McCarthy.

Daisy tries online dating...

Hi! My name is Daisy and I'm 18 years young! I'm a Burmese and I adore corn on the cob! Give me a call!

Daisy lives with the oh-so-relaxed Stanley and the ever-busy Mocha Fudge Brownie at the home of author Hailey North. She's been waiting patiently for her turn to board the Friday Ark ... but it's not that kind of a meet-up site, Daisy!

Sucker Bet (Erin McCarthy)

A night of indulgence can feel like an eternity... Visit Erin McCarthy's re-vamped web for a preview of book four in her popular 'Vegas Vampires' series, SUCKER BET (January '08/Berkley). While you're there, tempt yourself with a preview of FALLEN on the 'dark side' of Erin's site. It's the second book in her captivating new series exploring the seven deadly sins.

Visit Erin McCarthy.

"Stella!"

Books at Eclectics revisits New Orleans to hear more of the story of author Hailey North's menagerie. This week, Hailey introduces the supremely relaxed Stanley Kowalski.

I'd always meant to adopt two kittens after Snickers died, but after I brought Mocha home I thought, okay I'll just keep Mocha. But she needed a friend because my work hours were so long. I met a cat at my vet's office, well, an adorable fuzzy long haired little kitten that was part Maine Coon, and I wanted to bring him home. One night I did and he and Mocha HATED each other. So I took him back. But four months later I stopped by and learned he was still living at the vet's office. My heart broke. I took him home that day. He was as fuzzy and adorable as ever. Only problem, he was cute but not exactly smart. I called him, jokingly, Fabio. Heh heh heh. Then I realized that wasn't fair to him. So I told him I wouldn't name him until he told me what his name was. Fair enough. He settled into stealing Mocha's toys.

Later that day I heard this voice in my head crying out, "STELLA! STELLA!" (Okay, it was close in time to the spring Tennessee Williams festival in the French Quarter and the annual Stella shouting contest. When I heard "Stella!" in my head I ran into my kitchen, found Stanley, and said, "That's it. You're telling me your name is Stanley." So Stanley Kowalski lives on.

Stanley loves everyone! He was on the feature spot I did on the local CBS affiliate for Twelve for the Road, a Christmas period show that features local celebs mixing up non alcoholic drinks). He is soooo sweet!

Visit Hailey North.

Stanley is relaxing with the gang at the Friday Ark.

On Writing: Character Chart

Eclectics.com's extremely popular Writer's Character Chart was recently updated. If you're a writer and you haven't taken a look at the Character Chart yet, now is a terrific time. It has been quoted as being an excellent guide for writers trying to flesh out their characters. Click here to check it out. You won't be sorry.

Dixie Browning ...where is she now?

What is best-selling romance author Dixie Browning doing now? She's creating wonderful paintings! Her next 'outing' will be part of a studio tour of Outer Banks artists' studios. She'll be painting and exhibiting at Browning Studios, 53263 Highway 12, Frisco, North Carolina tomorrow, Sunday, Oct. 14. Come on down! Fall is beautiful — if slightly different — on the Outer Banks. Dixie's works can be viewed at Browning Studios.

Author appearances this week...Hailey North and Barbara Colley

Meet two of our talented Eclectics.com authors — Hailey North and Barbara Colley — at the Heart of Louisiana's Annual Romance Readers Luncheon this Saturday, October 13th. "Mix and mingle with your favorite romance authors at this fun and informative event. Over a dozen noted novelists will be on hand to share their experiences. Each attendee will be seated with at least one author and all authors will be easily accessible during the pre-luncheon "meet and greet" and post-luncheon book signing." For more information, visit http://www.heartla.com/luncheon/

Kiss or Kill (Lyn Stone)

Special Agent Renee LeBlanc was deep undercover, close to exposing the leader of a terrorist cell. Then he showed up in the midst of her op. Was he ally or foe? Lover…or assassin?

Find out in KISS OR KILL, Lyn Stone's new book in the Mission: Impassioned series from Silhouette Romantic Suspense. Be sure to enter Lyn's new contest, too!

Visit Lyn Stone.

16 pounds of sass!

Bessie is sixteen pounds of sass. This summer she took on a mole, a rabbit, a Springer Spaniel, a herd of deer, and a coyote, and won every showdown. She loves every human being who has ever looked at her, and she's never met a stuffed animal she couldn't destroy. That's her 'baby picture', above, and this is Bessie all grown up!

Life with Eclectics author Erin McCarthy (who writes for young adults as Erin Lynn) can be pretty exciting. Bessie hasn't had to take on any vampires or demons yet...but she looks ready, doesn't she?

Find Bessie checking out the other critters on the Friday Ark.

Author appearances this week... Barbara Colley

Eclectics author Barbara Colley will be in Lafayette, Louisiana this week, attending The Writers' Guild of Acadiana 2007 Writers' Conference (October 5-6). This conference brings together aspiring and established authors, agents, and editors in the heart of Cajun Country! It offers workshops, panels, pitch sessions with agents and editors, and Southern hospitality that's second to none. Barbara will be presenting two workshop sessions: "Cold Bodies-Hot Love: Are Cozies for You?" and "Ten Steps to Writing a Great Mystery".

Visit BarbaraColley.com to find out more about this best-selling mystery author and her popular Charlotte LaRue Mystery Series.

For conference information, visit WGA.

No Rest for the Witches (Lori Handeland)

From broomsticks to black magic, leather-clad warriors to love potions gone wrong, here you'll find four stories of supernatural sex and suspense from some of today's hottest bestselling authors.

In Voodoo Moon by Lori Handeland: For Devil's Fork-based FBI Agent Dana Duran, the only way to fight a supernatural serial killer just may be to embrace life. But little does she know that voodoo can be so viciously sexy.

Look for the Halloween Anthology No Rest for the Witches at your favorite bookstore this Tuesday, October 2nd. Add it to your Halloween reading list!

Visit Lori Handeland.