Susan Elizabeth Phillips: Get to Know the Author

About SEP: Let's hear from the author in her own words, about things she wants you to know about her.  Nothing ordinary about Susan Elizabeth Phillips, so why should her bio run the standard course.

I MET MY HUSBAND on a blind date. He was in college at the time, studying engineering. I blush to confess that, as an arty ex-theater major, I wasn’t exactly sure what engineering was. To this day, he reminds me that I asked him if it had anything to do with “fixing toasters.” (Okay, I wasn’t too bright, but I had a good heart.)

I GOT PREGNANT the usual way. Bill and I had been married for two years and wanted to start a family. He was out of town on business the night I went into labor with our first son, but he made it back in time to witness the birth. He was also at my side when our second son was born. Today our boys are grown, and I couldn’t be prouder of them or their families.

Paranomal Romance with Jude Deveraux

Meet Jude Deveraux

Jude Deveraux is the author of fifty-seven New York Times bestselling novels. Although she is best known for her medieval romances, she has also written stories set in later time periods, as well as several time-travel romances, and her latest novels have had a contemporary setting. Many of her more recent books feature paranormal storylines. To date, there are more than 50 million copies of her books in print worldwide.

Many of her books follow the same family, the Montgomerys, through time and across continents.

She lives in North Carolina.

Someone To Love

It's been three years since his fiancee's mysterious suicide. and Jace Montgomery still hungers for answers. Stacy was kind, funny, and in love--why, on a trip to England. would she end her life in a room above a village pub? Then Jace stumbles upon a photo of a rambling estate tucked inside one of Stacy's books--and a cryptic note dated one day before her death: "Ours again. Together forever. See you there. . . ."

Drawing on his family's vast wealth, Jace returns to England to purchase the unsightly Priory House--and soon discovers it is haunted by the headstrong ghost of Ann Stuart. Unraveling the ties between past and present with the help of a beautiful local journalist, Jace must at last reconcile his heartwrenching loss and his own hopeful future.

Always

Darci has never given up searching for her kidnapped husband, Adam Montgomery. But her quest has taken her deeper into the world of psychic phenomena than she ever dreamed -- or dared to go. When the FBI enlists her help in locating the missing father of undercover agent Jack Rose, Darci signs on for the covert operation, not knowing that her attraction to handsome, sexy Jack is about to lead her into deadly territory -- and into an era long past.

For Jack has a protector, a mysterious nineteenth-century lady who pulls them into a time and place where Darci is stripped of her abilities. Can she find the key that links to the modern-day crimes she's set out to solve? And will a showdown with a wicked force from the past hold her hostage...for all eternity?

Forever and Always

Darci's psychic abilities have always guided her through hardship...and into a once-in-a-lifetime love with her rich, powerful husband, Adam Montgomery. When Adam vanishes in a mysterious accident, a grief-stricken Darci is left alone to raise their young daughter. But her instinct tells her the reports of Adam's death are untrue. When the FBI enlists her intuitive talents to solve a heinous crime, she agrees -- if they'll help to uncover the truth about Adam.

It may be a tougher deal than Darci imagined: she must go head-to-head with Jack Rose, a criminal whose mind power matches Darci's at every turn. Now Darci must discover if those in the highest circles of authority have her best interests at heart -- or if someone intends to sever the everlasting bond she shares with her one true love.

The Invitation

Jackie O'Neill was a daredevil pilot and a true American heroine...a woman so beautiful men stopped in their tracks to watch her walk down the street, her long confident strides eating up the earth. After years of nonstop excitement - of traveling around the globe in a chaotic rags-to-riches-to-rags whirl with her late husband, Charley - Jackie had returned to Eternity, Colorado, near her hometown of Chandler. She wanted to put down roots, start a business, maybe someday fall in love again.

But she never dreamed that the man who might make all her wishes come true was William Montgomery...little Billy, the lovesick boy who dogged her every step when she was a teenager...little Billy, who was now definitely a man, handsome, sexy, rich, and still madly in love with Jackie O'Neill....

This novel is classic Jude Deveraux. I came to this author as I met the Montgomerys and traveled with as they found romance and lasting love. If I can share a secret, Billy Montgomery is one of my ten favorite romantic heroes.  Read the book and you'll see why.

A Knight in Shining Armor

Dougless Montgomery couldn't believe it. She had tried to be the very essence of the modern American woman -- competent yet sexy, financially independent yet ready to love and be loved. She had planned this holiday tour with special care, wanting everything to be perfect for Robert, the man she hoped one day to marry. Yet here she was, after a stupid quarrel, abandoned in a church in the midst of rural England. Abandoned, with no luggage, no money, no credit cards, while Robert drove off without so much as a backward glance. As Dougless lay upon a cold tombstone, crying in fury and frustration, she longed for a knight in shining armor to save her from this abysmal mess.

Suddenly, as if in answer to her prayers, the most extraordinary man stood before her.... He was Nicholas Stafford, Earl of Thornwyck, who accodring to his tombstone had died in 1564. Tall, broad-shouldered, attired in gleaming silver and gold, he was magnificent. He stood in the dim light of the church, thunderstruck, drinking her in: her strange costume, the uncased hair that flowed to her shoulders, her long, lovely, BARE legs. He could scarce keep his wits about him, but of one thing he was certain -- she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Drawn to his side by a bond so sudden and compelling it overshadowed reason, Dougless knew that Nicholas was nothing less than a miracle: a man who would not seek to change her, who found her perfect, fascinating, just as she was. Yet she could not imagine how strong were the chains that tied them to the past... or the grand adventure that lay before them....

This is the first Jude Deveraux book I read.  It introduced me to a different element of romance and in this book I met the Montgomery family.  It was the begining of a love affair-Jude,the Montgomerys, and me.

Eternity

Here's another classic from Jude Deveraux.

Carrie Montgomery had grown up with seven adoring older brothers, and she was used to getting her way rather easily. Joshua Greene was looking for a hardworking, practical mail- order bride to help with the farm and feed and clothe his children. Yet from the moment Carrie saw his photograph, saw his devastatingly handsome, sorrowful smile, the petite and pampered beauty knew she was the perfect wife for him.

Josh didn't see it that way. Wed by proxy, he refused to be charmed by his new bride's blonde curls and effervescent laughter, or impressed by her trappings of wealth...even if his son and daughter believed she was a fairy princess come to life. He was furious -- and ready to send her packing, until a near tragedy convinced him that her beauty was more than skin deep. But even after he had yielded to the wild desire that surged between them, Josh could not admit how much he truly needed her. Then an old scandal threatened to re-emerge, and he realized that he could lose her forever...

Suzanne Brockmann: Military Romantic Suspense

New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann, who USA Today calls "the reigning queen of military suspense," breaks out a rapid-fire collection of pulse-pounding, heart-tugging stories and novellas featuring the intrepid men and women of Troubleshooters, Inc., fiction's hottest, ultimate counter-terrorism squad.

Headed For Trouble
Troubleshooters Series #18 

Tough-as-nails Troubleshooters operative Sam Starrett learns the agony of loving someone in danger--and the hell of waiting on the home front--as his wife and fellow Troubleshooter, Alyssa, hurtles into a foreign hotspot that's about to boil over.

Navy SEAL Frank O'Leary's ill-fated holiday reunion with his older brother takes a turn for the better-when a chance encounter on a rainy New Orleans street gives him a reason to be thankful after all.

Urban Fantasy- Suzanne Collins: Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay

Author Suzanne Collins

In the tradition of Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest) and Pittacus Lore's Lorien Legacies (I Am Number Four), Suzanne Collins presents a spell-binding trilogy, staples on the best-seller lists. These novels feed the taste of the TV generation who thrives on reality television modeled after the hit series "Survivor".

 

The Hunger Games
(Book One)

In an unspecified future time, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts.

Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games," a fight to the death on live TV. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch.

When 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen's younger sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. Katniss, unlike the gladiators of old, is cold and calculating, but still likable. She has the attributes to be a winner. The plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing as realistic characters form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds.

Katniss regards the Games as a death sentence never dreaming that circumstances would forced her to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed.

Booklists says (The Hunger Games)"is a superb tale of physical adventure, political suspense, and romance."

The Lionsgate movie Hunger Games will be released on March 23,2012.

Catching Fire
(Book Two)

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

Mockingjay
(Book 3)

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins' groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

More About Suzanne Collins:

Suzanne Collins joins J. K. Rowling and Stephanie Meyer as an author of children's books that adults are eager to read. She currently lives in Connecticut with her family and a pair of feral kittens they adopted from their backyard.

Since 1991, Suzanne Collins has been busy writing for children’s television. She has worked on the staffs of several Nickelodeon shows, including the Emmy-nominated hit Clarissa Explains it All and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. Most recently she was the Head Writer for Scholastic Entertainment’s Clifford’s Puppy Days,and a freelancer on Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!
Thinking one day about Alice in Wonderland, she was struck by how pastoral the setting must seem to kids who, like her own, lived in urban surroundings. In New York City, you’re much more likely to fall down a manhole than a rabbit hole and, if you do, you’re not going to find a tea party. What you might find...? Well, that’s the story of Gregor the Overlander, the first book in her five-part fantasy/​war series, The Underland Chronicles.

Her next series, The Hunger Games Trilogy, is an international bestseller.

Meet Author Beverly Jenkins

Ms. Jenkins is the nation's premier writer of African-American historical romance fiction and specializes in 19th century African American life. She has 30 published novels to date.

She has received numerous awards, including: five Waldenbooks/Borders Group Best Sellers Awards; two Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times Magazine; a Golden Pen Award from the Black Writer's Guild, and in 1999 was named one of the Top Fifty Favorite African-American writers of the 20th Century by AABLC, the nation's largest on-line African-American book club.