Wow. Just wow. My time in D.C. flew so fast, I can’t believe it’s over. I had a great time (like I always do), and am possibly more exhausted than I have been in prior years. Okay, not possibly–definitely. I place entire blame on my friend KATRINA for introducing me to the yummy if slightly evil Cosmopolitan, and to my friend TRACI (otherwise known as Liane Gentry Skye) for introducing me to the sinfully delicious Chocolate Martini.

For a quick rundown of my time in D.C., I left on Wednesday morning at the no-one-should-be-awake hour of 4:20 AM when my delightful friend Connie Phillips picked me up. We arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare, and I’m happy to say that the flight to D.C. was smooth and mostly on time. We were delayed close to 30 minutes while they fixed some mechanical error…don’t know what it was that was wrong with the plane, and don’t realy care to know. <G>

Check-in at the hotel took forever and a day, but we managed to get to our room before the literacy signing Wednesday night. My first literacy signing as a signing author. This was loads of fun! I sat next to the amazing Donna MacMeans, and she kept me laughing through the two hours of signings. I was also sooo pleased to have many folks excited about my books approach me. Seriously, I sort of worried I’d be lucky to sell one copy of A STROKE OF MAGIC, and while I didn’t sell out, I came fairly close. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to chat with me!

After the signing, me and my Toledo gals (Connie, Jill, Katrina, and Patrice) grabbed a not-so-quick meal and then I collapsed in bed. Early. Very, very early. I was sound asleep by 10:45 P.M.

Thursday morning began early with the opening ceremony and a wonderful speech from Janet Evanovich. After I poured more coffee down my throat, I hung out with some pals in the lounge, and then headed off to lunch, where Linda Howard gave one of the funniest talks I’ve ever heard in my life. I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes. A couple of terrific workshops came next, followed by a few hours of down time in the room, and then dinner with old and new friends, and then…yep…this is where the good/evil Cosmopolitan entered my life. We’ll just stop there. <G> I had fun, enough said.

Friday was filled with more workshops, another terrific luncheon speaker who brought tears to almost everyone in the room with her emotion-packed speech (Eloisa James), meetings with my editor, agent, friends, as well as plenty of other folks too numerous to mention. Ooh, but I did have the chance to chat with Jessica Andersen for an hour or so. (Hey, Jess!)

And then, later, the chocolate martini night, and yes, more fun was had. A. Lot. More. Fun.

I also met debut author Tammy Kane and her friend and traveling companion Donna. Folks, if you’re looking for a really great read with a virgin hero and a dragon…you have to check out Breath of Fire. Seriously good reading. 

Saturday came and went so fast, I cannot even articulate the happenings of that day, but I did bump into my very good friend Holly Jacobs in the elevator at one point. I adore Holly and only wish we’d had more time to catch up. OH! And I had lunch with fellow Dorchester author Natale Stenzel. Great food and great company. We were still at the table when the hotel’s fire alarm (drill?) sounded off, so we evacuated the building together. Hanging with Natale = fun. Standing around outside with hordes of other folks waiting to re-enter the hotel = not-so-fun.

And then home on Sunday. Whew!

I love this conference every year because of the people. Friends I already have, new friends I’m bound to make, and the connections that carryover from one year to the next. I also love it because there is so much talent and information all together for those few days. It’s inspiring. I always come home ready to jump into my WIP with far more energy than I had when I left. So while I’m exhausted, I wouldn’t have it any other way. RWA does a great job in putting this conference together every year.

Okay…moving on.

Contest News

Playing catch up on the A STROKE OF MAGIC Release Month Scavenger Hunt Contest, let’s go back a week to Round Seven:

Round Seven’s question was: In the TV show, I Dream of Jeannie, when was Jeannie born?

The answer is: 1 April 64 B.C.

The winner of a signed copy of A TASTE OF MAGIC is SpiceDice! Congrats!!!!

Last Wednesday, I asked the Round Eight question, which was:Gypsies believe that within their own, there are certain ones who possess great power through the ability to perform magic with their special range of knowledge, called chovihani. Among the chovihani, there are four favorites for fortune telling: palm reading, _________, the crystal, and cards.

The answer is: Tea Leaves.

The winner of a goodie package that includes a signed item from me is Angela! Congrats!

Round Nine began on Friday, and originally ended tomorrow — Tuesday, July 21st. However, so far I only have three responses, so I’m going to give this an extra day in the hopes three more folks will decide to play. The question to answer is:

In A STROKE OF MAGIC, the heroine, Alice Raymond, has a lot of important women in her life. From this list, who is her best friend?

A. Elizabeth   B. Verda   C. Chloe   D. Shelby   E. Isobel   

BONUS: If you can also name Alice’s relationship to EACH of the women listed, you’ll be entered to win twice!

TO BE ENTERED TO WIN a signed copy of A TASTE OF MAGIC, a goodie package, AND a custom A TASTE OF MAGIC/A STROKE OF MAGIC coffee mug: Email me at Tracy@TracyMadison.com with the answer. As noted before, I need at least six folks playing! Check back on WEDNESDAY, July 22nd for the winner AND for the Round Ten question!

EVERY WINNER SO FAR (that I have the mailing address for) has had their prizes sent out. I hit the post office this morning, so expect your goodies within a week, give or take. For new winners…I’ll be mailing the rest of the remaining prizes out at the conclusion of the contest (at the end of the month).

Don’t Forget!

I have some guest stuff coming up, with prizes attached! Head on over to author Elisabeth Naughton’s blog tomorrow to catch an interview with me and for the chance to win a signed book! Elisabeth is celebrating the release of her second book, and every day she has a guest author AND a giveaway. So you might want to stop in each day to see who’s chatting. You might find a new author to love!

AND…

On the 24th (Friday), I’ll be at Much Cheaper Than Therapy, also giving away a signed book. Be sure to stop in and visit!

The Novel Girls are dishing about Summer Vacations this week. We’d love to see you there. Seriously. We would really love to have you drop by. So…what are you waiting for? Hmm?

Guest Blogger Holly Jacobs!

To continue the month-long celebration of the release of A Taste of Magic, the awesome Holly Jacobs is with us today. Holly is the talented, award winning author of over 35 romance novels, and is easily one of the nicest people I have been lucky enough to meet.

The third of her American Dads Trilogy from Harlequin American Romance is out this month, Once Upon a Valentine’s, and it is definitely on my TBR list as I loved the first two: Once Upon a Thanksgiving and Once Upon a Christmas.

Today, she’s talking about Valentine’s Day and how she works romance into her life 365 days a year. First though, here’s a little more about Holly (as taken from her Harlequin page):

The Bio Part!

Holly Jacobs leads a life full of romance and adventure. From skydiving to jet-setting around Europe, from snorkeling in coral reefs to writing while wearing beautiful silk peignoir sets and popping chocolate bonbons, Holly Jacobs leads a life that is the epitome of romance.

Okay, well, my fictional life sounds more interesting, but not better than my real life. Really. I’m the happily married mother of four. I write for Harlequin American Romance and Superromance and Avalon Books. My biggest recent glee was to learn that EVERYTHING BUT A GROOM was one of Booklist’s TOP 10 Romances of ‘08! You can visit me on the web at www.HollyJacobs.com.

Please join me in welcoming Holly Jacobs!

Valentine’s Day

I have four kids so I know kids. Most of my regular readers recognize that fact simply because my books are filled with children. They say write what you know, and since I know kids…well, it’s pretty much a no-brainer.  My new Harlequin American Romance American Dads trilogy centers around three single PTA moms who get ‘volunteered’ for the Social Planning Committee and find romance as they deal with PTA activities…and kids. (Because I have four kids, I also know about PTA’s! LOL) Now, I’m not a single mom, but I know how hard it can be to find time for romance in the midst of the chaos that kids tend to create.

Sometimes that moment is just one of those ‘looks’ that married people share. You know, in the midst of a couple kids wrestling on the floor, someone reading a story, someone else doing homework help, and let’s not forget dogs needing to go outside when your significant other gives you a ‘look’ that says, “Yes, it’s crazy, and maybe that makes us crazy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.  PS I love you.”  

Valentine’s is not just February 14th, it’s every day I get to spend with him. All those days with busy kids and barking dogs…

For more information about Holly Jacobs, her Harlequin American and Superromance novels, as well as her Avalon books, visit her at her WEBSITE!

The Contest Part!

Thank you Holly for taking the time to visit AND for offering some autographed copies of your books to giveaway as prizes! What’s up for grabs?

Four lucky winners will win an autographed copy of The House on Briar Hill by Holly Jacobs!                         

For a chance of winning, all you have to do is leave a comment here. The contest runs from now through Saturday, and on Monday, February 16th, I’ll announce the four winners. And don’t forget, you can buy any of the books shown here just by clicking on their covers! 

Also, on February 16th, the celebration continues with guest blogger, Harlequin Historicals and Silhouette Nocturne author Denise Lynn.

Help me celebrate my debut release, learn more about some fantastic authors, and have a chance at autographed books all throughout February!!

Last Week’s Winners!

The winners from Let’s Celebrate – Week One! are Lori Ann and Fyre’n'Ali! Please send an email to Tracy@TracyMadison.com with your mailing address so I can get your copies of Manhunt in the Wild West and Nightkeepers by Jessica Andersen sent out! Thanks again, Jessica!

Don’t Forget!   

The Novel Girls is talking about Love and Romance this week. Today’s my day, so Come say Hi!

The Countdown Continues! A Taste of Magic is released on February 24th!

Want to preorder? You can here: BUY NOW!

Guest Blogger Jessica Andersen!

To kick-off my release month celebration, Jessica Andersen is here today answering a few questions. Jessica is not only a mega-talented (and super-knowledgable) author, but she’s also incredibly nice. Before we get into the Q&A session, here’s a little more about Jessica:

The Bio Part!

Born and raised in eastern Mass, Jessica Andersen has always lived in New England. In the 90s, she did a double stint at Tufts University for an undergraduate biology degree and a PhD in genetics. During grad school and for a year after, she worked at the New England Eye Center, helping search for the genetic changes responsible for certain types of glaucoma. When the committee head complimented her doctoral thesis by saying it “read like a mystery novel,” she admitted she was writing a romantic suspense novel in her free time. A year later, she began working on getting her writing career off the ground.

Released in October ‘03, Jessica’s first Harlequin Intrigue, Dr. Bodyguard, was an RT Top Pick and kicked off a long string of largely science-based themed romantic intrigues that have hit the category bestseller lists and been nominated for Reviewers’ Choice and RITA awards. While writing the intrigues, Jessica continued to hone her craft, hoping to make the jump from category to single title success. With her Final Prophecy series, she’s done just that.

Please join me in welcoming Jessica Andersen!

The Q&A Part!

Q: I’m always interested in what other writers read. What are three books you can’t wait to read in 2009?

A: Um…the new J.R. Ward, the new Bujold, and the new Linnea Sinclair. (Can you tell I’m terrible at remembering titles??)

Q: I think it’s more important you remember the authors! Which you did. Besides, I’m the same way…I tend to look up my favorite authors to see when their next book is coming out, because I rarely know the titles. But what about now? Reading anything at the moment?

A: LOL-geek alert! I’m reading a late nineteenth-century translation of the ancient Egyptian papyrus of Ani (aka the Book of the Dead).

Q: Sounds interesting! I’ve long been a fan of your Harlequin Intrigue novels, so when I first learned about the Final Prophecy series, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on NIGHTKEEPERS (which I loved!). DAWNKEEPERS is resting in my TBR pile, and I’m just as anxious to get to that. Can you share a little about this series?

A: Thanks so much for the kind words! Please excuse me while I blurb <G>:

The long-count calendar of the ancient Maya ends December 21, 2012, in the day of a potentially dire astrological conjunction. The NOVELS OF THE FINAL PROPHECY tell of the ancient myths that come to life in the years leading up to the end-date, and their opposition by the Nightkeepers, decendants of an ancient race sworn to protect mankind from the apocalypse.

In NIGHTKEEPERS (June 08, Signet), the Nightkeepers’ last king is forced to team up with a sexy female narcotics detective in order to reunite his scattered warriors and fight the demons of the Mayan underworld, Xibalba. Wielding ancentral magic based on bloodletting and sex, the king must choose between duty and love for the human woman who is the gods’ destined sacrifice.

In DAWNKEEPERS (Jan 09, Signet), Nightkeeper Nate Blackhawk isn’t about to let the gods determine his destiny-especially when it comes to his feelings for Alexis Gray, his ex-lover and nemesis. But when they’re forced to work together, racing to recover seven antiquities before the demons get their claws on the vital artifacts. Nate and Alexis will have to face their feelings-and their past-in order to defeat an ancient enemy.

Q: Now I really need to get to DAWNKEEPERS! I’m always interested in how other writers get their ideas–how did you come up with the idea for this series?

A: Back when I was a kid, my parents used to take me down to the Yucatan and go ruin ratting. That was just before Cancun really became a tourist destination, so it wasn’t too expensive. It was also back before many of the big ruins were closed to the public, so I got to climb up inside El Castillo at Chichen Itza, dangle my toes over the edge of the sacrificial cenote, and generally immerse myself in the ruins. Those experiences stuck with me for a long time, although my occasional ‘gee, I’d like to be an archaeologist’ thoughts got lost admidst other interests. Then one day I stumbled on a reference to the Maya long count calendar, and how it would end on 12/21/2012. That totally reawakened my early interest in the Maya, and became a series proposal!

Q: Wow! I totally love that something you experienced as a child stayed with you for so long! How many books do you have planned for the series?

A: If I’m lucky and the books sell well, there will be a total of nine. NAL just bought books four through six, and I have three more planned after that (publishing gods willing), taking us up to the final battle at the end of 2012.

Q: Hmm, can we pray to publishing gods? If so, I’ll pray my little heart out, because I’m definitely going to want to know how it all ends <G>! SKYKEEPERS, the third in the series, will be released in August of this year. What can readers expect in the third installment?

A: Hmm…what to say without stumbling into spoiler territory? Let’s just say SKYKEEPERS is perhaps the darkest of the books so far, due in large part to what’s happened in Michael’s life up to this point. However, that’s offset by a strong theme of…chocolate! Did you know chocolate is native to the Maya territories, and is a strong component of many Mesoamerican rituals? I had fun with that part of the research for SKYKEEPERS . Ahh…the things one can do with chocolate sauce.

Q: Suddenly, I’m craving chocolate, LOL. Pulling my mind OFF the chocolate (not so easy!), I’m curious–is there a genre / sub-genre you haven’t written in yet, that you’d like to? If so, what?

A: I’d love to write comedy. However, I have a hard time sustaining something funny for more than ten or twenty pages before there’s running and screaming, and usually a dead body.

Q: I’m just the opposite. Even when I’m writing serious, that comedy creeps in no matter what. Speaking off…this month is release month for my debut book, A Taste of Magic, which has lots of comedy. I find myself on a roller coaster of emotions–from excited to anxious in barely the blink of an eye. Do you remember how you felt when your first book was released?

A: My first release was through Harlequin Intrigue, and the actual release was all pom-poms and cheers for me because there wasn’t really a huge expectation for a category author to do personal promotions-it can help to some degree, yes, but most Intrigue sales come from the book clubs and readers’ loyalty to the line, rather than the author, per se. So I was lucky not to have huge stress over the release itself.

Deep breath. You’ll do great!!

Q: I hope you’re right! <G> Do you feel the same with each new release? Or does it change from book to book?

A: Yes and no. During the release of NIGHTKEEPERS, I obsessed pretty hard over Amazon and B&N rankings (and Publishers Alley and Bookscan numbers). For the release of DAWNKEEPERS, I consciously spent more time just enjoying the sight of the book on the shelves, the online conversations with readers, and fans’ enthusiasm for the series. That’s the fun part!!

Q: Yep, I’m already peeking at Amazon and B&N on a daily basis, so I get that. And I know I’ll be so-very-excited to see my book on the shelves! Okay, now…just for fun: Name three things guaranteed to grab your attention if you’re in procrastination mode?

A: Dude, if I’m procrastinating, anything will grab my attention! Food is a good bet, as are pets. And at the moment, our woodstove. If I’m not working when I should be, I’m probably eating, playing with a dog or cat, and/or warming my butt .

Thanks for having me here, and best of luck with the new release!!    

For more information about Jessica Andersen, her Harlequin Intrigue books, and her Final Prophecy series, visit her at her WEBSITE!

The Contest Part!

Thank you to Jessica for taking the time to visit AND for offering some autographed copies of her books to giveaway as prizes! What’s up for grabs?

Two lucky winners will win TWO (that’s right!) autographed books by Jessica:

For a chance of winning an autographed copy of Manhunt in the Wild West AND Nightkeepers, all you have to do is leave a comment here. The contest runs from now through Saturday, and on Monday, February 9th, I’ll announce the two winners. Can’t wait? You can buy any of the books shown here just by clicking on their covers! 

Also, on February 9th, the celebration continues with guest blogger, super-talented, oh-so-funny author Holly Jacobs.

Help me celebrate my debut release, learn more about some fantastic authors, and have a chance at autographed books all throughout February!!

Don’t Forget!

This week at The Novel Girls, we’re talking about…um Groundhog Day and other movies. I’m up to bat today, sharing why ENCHANTED is on the top of favorite movie list, so pop on over and see what’s going on!

A Taste of Magic is released on February 24th!

Want to preorder? You can! Just click here: Buy Now!