Wednesday
17Mar2010
Jane Fest!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 12:05PM Sharon's Blog!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 12:05PM 
Wednesday
17Mar2010
Visalia Library Author Fair
Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 11:45AM I know that most of you live WAY too far away to attend this event, nevertheless I wanted to alert anyone who may be in the general vicinity of the Central Valley of California. The Tulare County Friends of the Library Association is hosting their annual Local Author Fair and I shall be joining them this year! I will be one of eleven authors writing in a variety of genres present to sell and sign books for the public.
The list of authors includes:
Marilyn Meredith
Monty Sands
Chris Brewer
Ron Hughart
Ed Kesterson
Louise Jackson
Larry Lewis
John Bergman
Janet Nichols Lynch
Sylvia Rose
The event is open and free (except for purchasing the books), and we will be waiting to chat and sign. I will have all three novels available. So mark your calendars for April 23, Saturday, from 7 to 9pm at the Visalia Public Library on 200 W. Oak Avenue. Hopefully I will meet a few of the fine people who make this dream a reality for me! See you there.
Monday
15Mar2010
Casablanca Blog day!
Monday, March 15, 2010 at 01:00AM 
Today it is my turn to post at our fabulous Casablanca Authors blogspot. I have said it before and will continue to say it until ALL of you believe me - LOL! - The eclectic writers published by Sourcebooks are a treasure to delve into. I hope you will take the time to check out what these women have to offer for your romance reading pleasure.
So, this month our theme is "Traveling" and today I am chatting about my family's first excursion across the wild west in our travel trailer. Fun times were had! Well, except by the cat. Come over to see what I mean!
Journey of American West by Sharon Lathan at Casablanca
Saturday
13Mar2010
Review for My Dearest Mr. Darcy
Saturday, March 13, 2010 at 08:39AM 
Rheanna of Try Reading My Mind has completed her journey through the Darcy Saga series and has written a lovely review. A+ for My Dearest Mr. Darcy! Thanks Rheanna! Naturally I love hearing of satisfied readers and SO appreciate ladies sharing their delight with others.
This is the third installment to Lathans Darcy Trilogy. And don't worry if you haven't read up to this point (although I recommend you do) because Dr. George Darcy gives a full summary of whats happened thus far at the beginning of the novel. Once again we find our lovers in the throws of what else but love. However; I think this novel may be my favorite so far because it shows so much more than their love.
My Dearest Mr. Darcy is packed with love, histories behind beloved characters and even some scandals to boot. I couldn't help but once again fall right back into Pemberly and become part of the family once more. I believe its the authors writing style but you feel a sense of belonging to the Darcy's world that I haven't experienced in other Pride & Prejudice sequels. And once again I give a great deal of credit to the strong characters who by themselves could stand alone and are furthermore enhanced through Lathans third book. I truly relished the emergence of George as a main character he adds life and knowledge to the novel. Not to mention he's a little bit of a comedian and I couldn't help but smile if he were on the page I was reading. Confession time: I think although I love Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam; George is my new favorite and I wish he were my uncle!
I've enjoyed my time with the Darcy's through the authors eyes immensely. It seems sad to know I have to wait for the next book to be released. This trilogy made me remember the first time I read Pride and Prejudice and renewed my love for all things Darcy. And I really enjoyed the way the author keeps the books authentic and realistic. She truly does a magnificent job capturing Austen's beloved characters and I can't wait to read what's next for my favorite couple!
Remember that Rheanna has named me her "Author of the Month" so please stop over and thank her for this honor!
Sharon Lathan, Author of the Month at Try Reading My Mind
Thursday
04Mar2010
Blog update and a LMD review
Thursday, March 4, 2010 at 01:01PM Hi all! Once again I am tweaking with the website! Gotta keep you all on your toes hunting down the info! No, seriously I am ever endeavoring to streamline and concisely share. I try very hard to honestly reveal who I am, what my saga is about, and convey my themes and writing tone so no one can leave my website unsure. So, what is new?
Excerpts: I have added a page of excerpts for each novel. I may change them from time to time, but probably not. These snippets were chosen to offer a nice variety of glimpses into each book for those who are newly discovering me. As I have said a multitude of times, I do not wish for anyone to be unsatisfied. Be informed of what my vision and style are before purchasing so that time and money are not wasted!
Synopsis & Purchasing: With the same concept of keeping it simple and being informative in mind, I have revamped these pages for each novel. Links to online retailers are there with a brief synopsis of each novel. The review pages are unchanged, but remain a great way to hear what other readers have felt about my books.
Portrait Gallery: I moved the link up to the Darcy Saga section so it is more visible. I am very proud of the Gallery and the collection of images I have acquired and organized for each novel. I do encourage readers to flip through the albums to enhance your reading enjoyment and comprehension.
Calendar of Events: I am still working on this page, but wanted to have one place where I can list my appearances and other events I think may be of interest. About the time I think I have received my last invitation to speak or sign books, something else comes up! Plus I wanted to alert folks to meetings, festivals, or other occasions that pertain to writing, Austen, reading, etc.
Moving on to great news - Rheanna wrote a stellar "A" review for Loving Mr. Darcy at Try Reading My Mind. Yippee!! What can I say? I never tire of hearing from satisfied readers. And the priase is nice too!
So cute, fun and heartwarming to see the Darcy's love for each other grow exponentially! In Lathans second book the Darcy's journey away from Pemberly to Darcy House their London Home where love, conflict, and chaos ensues. I love getting to know the Darcy's through the authors writings. It seems with each book they become a more cherished old friend.
I was happy to see the original and some of the old characters resurface. (As we all know and love Lady Caroline De Bourgh haha). But the real gems were getting to know Lady Anne (Catherine's ill daughter), Mary, Georgiana and Lydia's ex-right hand Kitty a little better. And of course meeting Raja and Fitzwilliams Uncle George was a delightful humorous episode in itself. You can't help but to fall in love with these characters all over again.
And once again I was flabbergasted as Sharon continually mixes the classic P&P, the 2005 movie, and historical significance into a novel that the reader can relate to today. Its seems to me I'm addicted to this series and the only prescription is ......more Darcys.
Please pop over and thank Rheanna for a lovely review AND for making me her "Author of the Month"
Try Reading My Mind
Wednesday
03Mar2010
Hanford High '59 Bookclub
Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 06:35PM About one month ago I was contacted by a lovely lady named Carol who lives in my hometown. She had seen the article about me in the Hanford Sentinel last August and decided to read Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One simply because she was intrigued by the story of my journey and that I was a local author. She loved the novel, even though she isn't a major Jane Austen fan. In fact, she loved it so much that when February rolled around and it was then her turn to choose the novel for the book club she is a part of, she made all of the ladies read it! She then contacted me and invited me to join their discussion luncheon! Naturally I was thrilled... but also a bit nervous. After all, Carol loved it, but the rest could hate it and blast me to the wall! Fortunately that was NOT the case.
Furthermore, I had an absolutely amazing time with this incredible group of gals. Let me tell you about these women because they are fantastic. They all attended Hanford High School and were friends. In 1959 they graduated together (excepting 2 ladies who graduated later) and have maintained contact and friendship down through these past 50 years! That is utterly incredible and a beautiful testimony to the power of faithfulness and caring. I was touched by their camaraderie and devotion. On top of that, they were spunky, humorous, and fun, fun, fun! I truly had one of the best afternoons spent with a group of women in ages.
L->R: Karen, Wilma, Bettye, Norma, Reon, Janet, Helen, Me!, Carol, and Linda
Aren't they a gorgeous group of ladies? My daughter joined us and we met at a Mexican restaurant for a delicious lunch. The comments were universally positive with everyone enjoying my novel. They were so gracious, asking me numerous questions about the story and my journey to getting published. But most of the time we just chatted and laughed! I could not believe how active and vital they all were! Carol joked that I was expecting a bunch of old women shuffling in with walkers, and to be frank I kind of was! LOL! I hope I am half as zippy when their age.
After lunch we retired to Janet's house for yummy Better Than Sex cake - eminently apropos! I signed a bunch of books and talked more about the series. But mostly we talked about Hanford and life. I had a blast looking through yearbooks from the late 50s with the ladies and their handsome boyfriends (some who became husbands) posing on the lawns and steps of the same high school my son attends in their classy dresses and bobby socks. Everyone looked so clean cut with perfectly styled hair. It was fabulous! I was sad to leave and really hope I can keep in touch with these women who inspired me and touched my heart.
Tuesday
02Mar2010
Me? Author of the Month? ~ and more fun stuff...
Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at 07:58AM 
Rheanna at Try Reading My Blog wrote a wonderful review for Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy - scroll down or go to REVIEW to read her praise for my first novel. She also posted a snippet from Loving Mr. Darcy as her Tuesday Teaser - HERE for that. She since completed Loving Mr. Darcy and is now 22% of the way through My Dearest Mr. Darcy. Quite the marathon! I was so happy to receive the Google alert that she has named me her Author of the Month! I am incredibly honored and to my knowledge this is the first such spotlight shown for me. Wow! Thanks again Rheanna! I hope all of you will pop in to support Rheanna in her blog efforts and to say thanks.
Sharon Lathan, Author of the Month at Try Reading My Blog
I have also received a second terrifically worded, all positive review from Lori H., guest hosting on Patricia's Read My Book Blog. Lori is a recent discoverer of my series. She powered through Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy and wrote a glowing review: Mr. & Mrs. FD review at Read My Book Now she has done it again, most eleoquently writing of her enjoyment of Loving Mr. Darcy.
Review of Loving Mr. Darcy of Read my Book Blog
I have said it a million times in the past and will keep on saying it in hope that more people comprehend and act: positive reviews and sharing feedback with others is VITAL for me to keep on reaching new readers and for my inspiration. Thanks SO much for those who take that step! I owe an enormous debt of gratitude and love you all!
Lastly for now, I want to point to the Casablanca Blog where we are celebrating 3 launches this month! It began yesterday with Mary Margret Daughtridge's SEALed with a Ring. Today we party for Joanne Kennedy's Cowboy Trouble. Yooray! Tomorrow, March 3, we blow the horns for Amanda Forester's The Highlander's Sword. Stop in to support my fellow Sourecbooks authors and to learn about some Top A Prime reading material!
Update on Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 06:29PM by
Sharon Lathan
Sharon Lathan
Rheanna at Try Reading My Mind is apparently on a Darcy Saga marathon! This Tuesday her Teaser was from My Dearest Mr. Darcy. Thanks again, Rheanna, for keeping me and my lovely Saga in the spotlight. Here is her teaser--
"No answer was forthcoming; in fact, she did not move. Alarm bells began to toll in his fogged mind and with a jolt he was wide awake."
Hmm.... How many of YOU know what is happening here? LOL! Pop over to Rheanna's blog to chime in and thank her for supporting my novels.
Friday
26Feb2010
A Confused Apology
Friday, February 26, 2010 at 03:07PM 
Yep, weirdness at Amazon! Again!
I knew it was odd that both Romancing Mr. Darcy and A Darcy Christmas were listed on Amazon for pre-order this far in advance. I honestly can't recall when the other three were first listed, and I know it was several months prior to release, but 9 to 10 months did seem strange. I should have gone with my gut and waited a bit, at least until they showed up on B&N and other online retailers. Oh well, live and learn! This actually isn't the first time listings and cover images and pricing information has gone wacky over there, so I am not too surprised. LOL!
To those of you fretting over the sudden disappearance on Amazon and the cancellation of your pre-orders, I assure you it means nothing serious! It probably simply means that they jumped the gun. And then I jumped the gun in my enthusiasm! Or there is some technical difficulty on their end. Who knows? I promise nothing has changed on my end. All is well!! Both manuscripts are with the copyeditor and I should receive them soon for the final step in that process. Romancing Mr. Darcy WILL be released in October and A Darcy Christmas WILL follow in November. I will probably just get this post published only to have them show back up on Amazon tomorrow!
I do apologize for the inconvenience of ordering and re-ordering. And I also apologize for making formal announcements too hastily. In the future I will do my best to avoid causing panic amongst my readers! Sincerely humbled, Sharon
in News
News Thursday
25Feb2010
Another review for Fitz!
Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 12:50PM How wonderfully bizarre that I have received two reviews for Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy in the past week! Of course, what this means is that my first novel, now a year on the shelves of Target and bookstores everywhere, is being discovered by new readers. I am very happy about that!
This review comes from Rheanna at Try Reading My Mind. Rheanna and her nice blog came to my attention two days ago when her Tuesday Teaser was a line from Loving Mr. Darcy. I thought that was so cool! That fun, intriguing post can be read here:
Loving Mr. Darcy Tuesday Teaser at Try Reading My Mind
Rheanna's review was posted today. She gave the novel an A and had lovely words of praise for her reading experience. Thanks Rheanna! I am so happy you enjoyed my novel and deeply appreciate you sharing your thoughts with others.
Review of Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy at Try Reading My Mind
Sunday
21Feb2010
A review for Mr. & Mrs. FDarcy
Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 10:27AM Happy Sunday!
I love waking up to Google alerts that impart excellent news! Today was such a day when I was directed to Patricia's blog - Read My Book - and read this fabulous review for Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One written by Lori Hitz. *dancing* How many times have I expressed the importance of positive reviews? Dozens, I know, but I fear I haven't gotten the point across as to how vital it is for my continued success. So, thank you Lori for taking the time to share your honest thoughts with others who will be informed of this series. This type of sincere feedback inspires me, and most importantly is essential for potential readers to decide if my vision of happily ever after for the Darcys might delight them.
Review of Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy at Read My Book
Friday
19Feb2010
Love at Casablanca
Friday, February 19, 2010 at 12:14AM 
All during the month of February we are celebrating LOVE over at the Casablanca Authors Blog. As part of the Sourcebooks romance imprint line, the 18 of us who contribute to this fabulous blog should know a great deal about love. Each day we are approaching the emotion with our unique voices and from varied angles. It has been tremendous fun and I encourage you to pop over and scroll down to read what we have had to say on this wonderful subject.
Today is my turn and I chose the topic of love, courtship, and marriage in the Regency Era. Please come over! Join in the discussion if you want. And be sure to check out the awesome slideshow of our book covers and the websites of our diverse authors. You will never want for excellent reading material again!
Love, Regency Style by Sharon Lathan at the Casablanca Authors Blogspot
Thursday
18Feb2010
My Vivarium
Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 10:51AM 
I could easily weave a fabulous yarn of the cursed aquarium my husband and I had in our bedroom, but I will keep that part brief! We have been "fish" people for over 20 years. I have a stunning 50 gallon tank in our foyer with African Cichlids and two plecostomus that are over 6-inches long. (see above) The point of that information is to assert that I know aquariums inside and out as well (if not better) than most pet store employees. Thus it was a huge mystery when the 30 gallon tank we kept in our bedroom, in the same spot it had sat in for 12 years, suddenly went crazy. Fish were dying, the water was continually green and/or hazy, and nothing we did solved the problem. Over the course of nearly 2 years we messed with the tank from Hades! I literally replaced every plant and rock and filter part, bought every chemical solution available on the earth, had the water analyzed a dozen times, moved it to two different locations, and spent way too much money on new fish when the tank decided to act "normal" for a while. They all promptly died when the water went wacky again. Finally we trashed the entire tank, reasoning that since it was our original and close to 20 years old, maybe it was falling apart and leeching frightening poisons into the water. So, a huge expense later, we had a sparkling new 30 gallon tank set up in our room with new pebbles, decorations, and filter. After the requisite break-in period, we started with guppies. They died. Then we splurged on hardy Oscars. They did really well for about a month, then went belly up in a hazy tank.
That was it! I refused to spend another cent or fret any longer over the unsolvable mystery. The tank sat there looking gross for over two months while I ignored it completely. Then one day I hit upon the idea of turning it into a terrarium. Why not? I am good with plants - Usually, I must add, except for that one cursed spot by the computer. I have given up on that one too! So I spent several weeks researching how to set up a proper terrarium inside an aquarium. Fairly easy, as it turns out, but there is a precise way to do it. Along the way I read about the various live creatures that can flourish in established rainforest-type ecosystems. Nice! We were excited.
For a couple of weeks I obtained the supplies gradually and got the terrarium set up. I found plants and pretty decorations, a lovely waterfall, and moss and rocks. We gave the plants time to take root. Yesterday my hubby decided it was time to add a pet. I was hesitant since I wanted to research more and felt the plants needed a bit more time to prove their hardiness. But he persevered so off we went to Petsmart. Fortunately our local store employs a gal named Joe who is a total reptile geek! She is awesome! I spoke with her at length on a previous visit to the store and she even allowed me to handle the adorable Ball Pythons! That was so cool. Yes, your humble authoress is a reptile person! And rodents too! Sorry if that grosses you all out! LOL!
We agreed on an eyelash crested Gecko. With a basket full of necessary reptile supplies - heater, thermometer, climbing vines, and bark substrate - we brought our new addition home. Our terrarium is now a vivarium! We think he is gorgeous! Leonidas was the agreed upon name, after the famed Spartan King so recently portrayed by Gerard Butler in 300. Our gecko is the king of his new home, after all, and we think he is regal in appearance. Here are a few photos--
Thursday
04Feb2010
Future News!
Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 11:19PM Yours truly has been a very busy girl! While yet in the throes of launch activities for My Dearest Mr. Darcy I was happily bombarded with loads of news and chores for future novels. I have waited to share until now so I could keep all focus on my fabulous third novel. But, now that My Dearest Mr. Darcy is out and about, flying off the bookshelves of the world, I am bursting to reveal the latest news!
The next novel in the Darcy Saga series has been titled Romancing Mr. Darcy. Bear in mind that titles and covers can change, although this one looks to be a keeper. Dominique Raccah, publisher and CEO of Sourcebooks, has final say and personally decides the title and appearance of each novel, which I think amazing considering they publish over 300 titles each year! The end product will look different with the gorgeous silvery foiling that beautifully accents the oval, but hopefully the painting will remain as I LOVE IT!!!!
I am SO in love with this cover!! Dare I say it is the best one ever? That is a tough call as I love all of them, but the ballroom scene is divine and absolutely perfect for this novel as there are two balls occurring within the pages. And the byline!
It's a truth universally acknowledged that everyone wants to fall in love....
How utterly fabulous is that? *sigh Yes, I am very happy and I made sure my editor knew! Let's keep our fingers crossed! Romancing Mr. Darcy is scheduled for release on October 1 of this year. Last week I completed the first round of edits. The process was painless and actually very fun. My wonderful editor, Deb Werksman, requested I try to tighten a few portions and cut where I felt possible to do so. She was entirely open to my wishes, but was correct that the length was on the edge of being too long. So, proceeding line by line with her thoughts and suggestions in mind, I trimmed nearly 9000 words. Have no fear! The story is still intact and over 135,000 words at this point, so there is plenty of the Darcys forthcoming! Now it is in the hands of a copyeditor who will make sure all the grammar is correct and so on.
Following right on the heels of that, and actually overlapping, was news on the Christmas anthology due for release in mid-November. This is a special Sourcebooks project that I was invited to partake of and I had the option of writing anything I wanted. Rather tempting, but I chose to stay with my beloved characters and the Saga. However, I have written a novella that is completely independent for those readers unfamiliar with my work. I am so proud of it! Better yet, my editor was blown away! She said it was "brilliant" - a wonderful word choice, let me tell you!
I am totally in love with this cover too! Wow! I shall say it again: Sourcebooks design creates stunning covers. As you can see, the other authors are Amanda Grange and Carolyn Eberhart. Amanda is well known, of course, as the author of Mr. Darcy's Diary and Mr. Darcy, Vampyre. It is an incredible honor to be in a book alongside her. Carolyn is a debut author. Naturally I will talk more about this novel as the time grows closer. As of this Tuesday I completed the first round of edits for my novella, once again needing to do very little overall. I have a remarkable editor who flawlessly notices those places that are jarring in some way, too modern sounding, or need to be reworked for clarity. It is a fun process, actually, and I learn so much each time.
So there you have it! I probably have a month or less before copyedits will be returned to me for another line-by-line inspection. Until then I am back to writing! I cracked open Darcy #5 yesterday and have already dug in. Fun, fun, fun!!
Thursday
04Feb2010
Love is in the air at Casablanca
Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 08:14AM Happy Thursday everyone! And happy February, the month of LOVE.
If one is a romance novelist, love is the most important emotion. Of course, IMO love should be the most important emotion to everyone! We who write of true love and happy endings are forever doing our best to spread positive thoughts and create warm glows of happiness. The ever-increasing group of talented authors published by Sourcebooks under their fiction and romance lines, Landmark and Casablanca, are no exception. 18 of us now contribute daily to the Casablanca Authors blog. I have been a part of this awesome collective of women for a year and a half. They have become my friends, my sisters in this crazy business, and writers I have personally enjoyed reading.
Our blog has been updated with a cool slideshow of our covers and all our smiling faces on the sidebar with links to our websites. Several new voices have joined the group to make our blogging more diverse and fun. The beginning days of each month will be devoted to launch parties for our new releases. This month the spotlight was on Terry Spear, Judi Fennell, and Laura Kinsale with book giveaways! It isn't too late to read about those and enter with a comment.
Starting this month onward we will be exploring themes each month for our personal blogs. This month our theme is - LOVE! No surprise, is it? LOL! I opened the month with a celebration of our blog and our authors. LOVE IS IN THE AIR!! Indeed it is at Casablanca Authors blogspot!
Tuesday
02Feb2010
Blogging at Historical Hussies
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 11:41PM 
As part of the virtual book tour for My Dearest Mr. Darcy I appeared at Historical Hussies and blogged about the Regency and why I love to write during that Era. The response was terrific and Melanie won a set of my novels for commenting. Hopefully she has had a chance to start reading and will love my vision of life for the Darcys! That fun essay can still be read even though it is too late to win any books:
The Regency, A Time of Change at Historical Hussies
I have been honored with an invitation to again contribute to this fabulous website dedicated to historical writing. Thanks Linda! This time I wrote about the Court of St. James, the royal palace and administrative center of the monarchy during the Regency. No books are being given away this time, but I do encourage reading this fascinating slice of history. And maybe while there the numerous articles will intrigue!
The Court of St. James at Historical Hussies
Come on over and join me for a fun filled day in the spotlight! Read and enjoy.
Friday
29Jan2010
Launch Week #4 Roundup!
Friday, January 29, 2010 at 04:45PM This is it - my final week of official promotional activities for My Dearest Mr. Darcy. I am rather sad to see all the fun-filled blogs and interviews coming to an end. But, on the other hand, I am already working on edits for my upcoming novels so it will be good to focus strictly upon that. And, yes, I have lots of news to share on my future works in the Darcy Saga! But, I am waiting to share that once Launch Month is over - so you will all have to come back next week to see what exciting developments I have for you! A teaser, yes indeed!
This week has been as marvelous as the previous ones. All of my guest spots have been tremendously fun. I encourage everyone to read them - just scroll down the blog page for all the links. Several are still open for comments and a chance to win a set of 3 novels in the Darcy Saga series. How awesome is that? These are the places that are still open for the contest with deadlines noted. Please don't miss out on this opportunity!
Alaine, Queen of Happy Endings - open until 1/31
Psychotic State - open until 1/31
Anna's Book Blog - open until 1/31
Love Romance Passion - open until 2/1
Seductive Musings - open until 2/6
Congratulations to everyone who has won my books so far. I do hope all are satisfied with my vision of happily-ever-after for Lizzy and Darcy. If you are, I sure would love to hear from you! If not, well, keep it to yourself. LOL!
On Thursday I gave a speech to the Visalia Networking for Women, an organization of community businesswomen. My third speech - EVER! I was invited several months ago by Barbara Mayeda, who works at the hospital, when she read the newsflash about me that circulated via our internal email. Of course I was nervous, as I am sure I always will be when public speaking, but everyone said I did well. I guess I will believe them! Here I am with Barbara:
The luncheon was held at the Vintage Press, which is a fabulous 5-star restaurant in Visalia. That alone was an incentive - LOL! - but sadly I ended up too nervous to eat! No problem, it was yummy heated up later. My daughter Emily came with me as support, and that was a fortuitous arrangement as she played financial manager and lovely assistant to the crowd of ladies wanting my books. I brought 28 copies and sold every last one! I could have sold more. That was a marvelous surprise. Everyone was gracious, enthusiastic, riveted to my talk, and abundantly welcoming. I spoke of my journey in writing this story, how I was inspired, the process of publishing, and about the Saga in depth. I also highlighted Sourcebooks and the fabulous, awe-inspiring Dominique Raccah who has brilliantly created a powerhouse company that is today the largest woman-owned publisher in the US. What a great topic for a group of businesswomen! I was also thrilled to spotlight the RWA and my local chapter, the Yosemite Romance Writers. A special thanks to our vice-president, and my friend, Sandy Marlow who came to support me AND brought her aunt and mom. And it was her mom's birthday! What a present! Here I am with Sandy and her lovely mother Marilyn:
In between all that fun, and doing some other publishing-type work (another hint), I also headed up the task to update and revamp the Casablanca Authors Blogspot. Now, if none of you have checked out the blog collectively hosted by the crazily talented group of romance novelists who are published by Sourcebooks, you are seriously missing out! Contemporary, historical, paranormal, sci-fi, erotic, humorous, chick-lit, young adult, Highlanders, shapeshifters, Irish, Italian, English... you name it, we have it! We now have 18 incredible writers in our group. All of our gorgeous faces are now on the blog with links to our diverse websites. Plus we now have this awesome slideshow of all our book covers! Sourcebooks designers make the most amazing covers, each one personally given the final stamp of excellence by Dominique herself. Take the time to watch the show, and watch carefully as you might just catch a surprise glimpse of my news.....
Did you see it?! Watch again... Then come on over to the Casablanca Authors blog. Daily we trade off blogging about whatever tickles our fancy. February is the month of love, so we will be focusing on le amour - after our launch parties! 
Terry Spear and Judi Fennell have new books out this month, plus we are overjoyed to support the return of historical romance queen Laura Kinsale! Her new novel, Lessons in French, is available now.
That is enough for one week! More updates next week. Be sure to check back! And thanks once again, from the depths of my heart, for making my launch month so enjoyable and My Dearest Mr. Darcy a huge success. *big hug*
Thursday
28Jan2010
The Lovestruck Novice guest blog
Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 10:30PM 
My last guest spot for the month is by special invitation from my dear friend and fellow Yosemite Romance Writer, Sarah Simas at her happening blog - The Lovestruck Novice. Sarah is midway through her first novel and writes in the Regency Era as I do, although her story has nothing to do with Jane Austen. She writes of crossed-lover, hidden secrets, murderous men with vengeful motives, and sizzling passion. Ooh! Can't wait to read the whole thing!!
Since we do have the Regency in common, I decided to go with my usual flow and touch upon some of the cool bits of history I have uncovered to include in My Dearest Mr. Darcy.
"Uncovered History" by Sharon Lathan at The Lovestruck Novice
Wednesday
27Jan2010
Seductive Musings guest blog
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 10:58PM 
With a website name like Seductive Musings I probably should have highlighted the sensual romance within the pages of My Dearest Mr. Darcy. What was I thinking?! Well, those who know my saga know there is a fair amount of healthy loving between Darcy and Lizzy. I could have had fun with it to be sure.
However, it was requested I talk about marriage in Austen's day and what inspired me to write of the Darcys' marriage as I did. This was actually a really fun topic! Come on over and get involved with the discussion. A set of books is up for grabs.
"The Universally Acknowledged Truth" by Sharon Lathan at Seductive Musings
To my additional surprise - since I never know who has an ARC and will actually read it - Seductive Musings blog owner Booklover did read My Dearest Mr. Darcy and wrote a nice 4-star review! Nice! The review is short but very sweet, so I will share in its entirety here:
Sharon Lathan has written a sweet, romantic and delightful diversion in My Dearest Mr. Darcy. Through letters, confidences and tender, intimate family moments Ms. Lathan has continued her interpretation of Darcy and Elizabeth's lives together and let's us imagine what life at Pemberly might have been like. In My Dearest Mr. Darcy readers get to celebrate birthdays, a renewal of vows, their first anniversary and the birth of their first child. Their growing love, and adventures through Ms. Lathan's eyes will entertain anyone that craves more from these characters that have become like old beloved friends that you long to keep in touch with.
If you wish to read it on Seductive Musings and comment, here is the direct link:
Review of My Dearest Mr. Darcy at Seductive Musings
Wednesday
27Jan2010
My Dearest Mr. Darcy review by Once Upon a Romance
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 03:40PM Never too late to read a marvelous review! Reviewer Marlene B. of Once Upon a Romance gave 4-stars to Loving Mr. Darcy in September - read review HERE - and has felt the same for My Dearest Mr. Darcy. Both books are on their Historical Romance Featured Reviews. I am very pleased!
My Dearest Mr. Darcy review at Once Upon a Romance
Darcy and Elizabeth have not yet been married a year and are awaiting the arrival of their first child. Before the baby arrives, Darcy decides to take a vacation by the sea with Elizabeth, and they grow even closer. Unfortunately, there is a scheming woman with an eye for the handsome Darcy, who tries to cause problems.
My Dearest Mr. Darcy is a snapshot of a brief period in time experienced by two of the most beloved characters in literature. Ms. Lathan incorporates wonderful period details and many of the characters seen in Pride and Prejudice make a reappearance, as well as, several interesting new characters. This reader, particularly, liked Darcy's eccentric uncle George, who is a Doctor who practiced in India and wears Indian garb. This story is first and foremost about the developing relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth, and Ms. Lathan does a great job of telling that story in a believable manner. I defy anyone not to fall further in love with Darcy after reading this book, and Elizabeth acts in ways that are truthful to her established character from Pride and Prejudice.
Lovers of Pride and Prejudice should enjoy My Dearest Mr. Darcy, because it is essentially a feel-good read. However, if the reader dislikes spicy sex scenes, she might give this sequel a miss.
Thank you, Marlene. I appreciate you taking the time to read my novel and then to write a wonderful review so your readers will be informed. We authors need more positive feedback!
Wednesday
27Jan2010
Anna's Book Blog interview
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 07:12AM 
Anna was willing to read and review My Dearest Mr. Darcy having not read the previous two. She loved it! I really appreciate her openness to tackle a book that falls third in a series, and her honesty in approaching her reading experience from that point of view. Anna's review can be read on the Editorial Reviews page.
Now Anna has asked me to appear on her website! She wrote a terrific interview, the first one I answered for this release as a matter of fact! It has a nice mixture of writing questions, Saga questions, and personal questions. Come on over! Win a set of books!!
