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As the summer winds down we are stepping things up at RT Book Reviews with the development of our new website, which is AWESOME!!! I don't want to tease you too much, but I can't resist sharing what we have in store for you.
The revamped site will have lots of new features, like a daily blog complete with video and podcasts and tons of author appearances. It will also have several microsites (within the general site) that will spotlight certain genres like paranormal/urban fantasy, mystery/suspense/thriller, young adult and of course, romance (and all its subgenres) and erotica.
Every review page on the new site will have a place where you can post your own review to share with fellow readers -- YOUR opinion about the books you read. We will also have an area where authors can let fans know where they are appearing and you will be able to search for author appearances in your area.
We are zeroing in on a company that will be handling a digital version of RT Book Reviews that will be amazing! All the web addresses listed in the print magazine will be live links in the digital version, so readers can go right to the advertisers' home pages. The table of contents will be hyperlinked to each article and the entire digital version will be searchable, so that you can search for a book or author in the issue.
Our e-book store is well under way and we will have all books offered digitally by publishers and authors relevant to our audience in all formats available for purchase. Both the digital magazine and the e-book store will be in place for the launch of our new site, which will be late fall, so stay tuned.
Meanwhile your new issue is in the mail with a striking cover featuring a rapidly rising star of mystery, Hank Phillippi Ryan. This savvy Emmy Award-winning TV reporter turned author has struck gold with her Charlotte McNally series revolving around a gutsy TV investigative reporter much like Hank. I guess you can't go wrong when you write what you know.
We have two great features in the October issue, one of which celebrates the spirit of Halloween. The Witches of Fiction article explores the popularity of these charming heroines who are casting spells on fans far and wide. And if you want to try your hand at casting your own spells, we have a few contributed by psychic, shamanic and Wiccan authors. There are spells to help you attract a mate and some to help you boost your creativity. In any case it's all meant to be in good fun.
From different realms we move to different worlds with our sci-fi romance feature, which discusses why, although it's a beloved genre for some, it never really took off into the mainstream. We hope our approach to this topic will make you curious to give one a try. There are lots of talented authors writing in this genre and as Isabo Kelly puts it, "If you like pirate stories, you will love SFR -- we just have a different kind of ship."
Our interviews this month are as diverse as they are interesting. RT Senior Editor Stephanie Klose met up with YA authors Scott Westerfeld and Justine Larbalestier, who just happen to be husband and wife as well as authors in their own right, in the Big Apple where they shared insight about writing, relationships and what it's like to live on both sides of the world, New York and Sydney, six months at a time. Aside from their obvious talent they are genuinely nice people who are living life to its fullest. Their new books Leviathan
and Liar respectively, are October releases.
Another talented couple, Ilona and Gordon Andrews, aka Ilona Andrews, shared with us the story behind their new Edge series. On the Edge introduces Rose Drayton who traverses two worlds but doesn't feel at home in either.
Mystery fans will love our chat with Marcia Muller, who 'fesses up about why she landed P.I. Sharon McCone in a coma in her latest, Locked In. Her answer may surprise you.
The November issue is shaping up to be full of goodies. For starters our cover story is on Joy Nash, who returns to the Druids of Avalon series with Silver Silence. I can't wait to see what adventures she has in store for us in this wonderful magical world she has created.
Since the chill of autumn is the perfect time to curl up with a cozy mystery, our feature for November will not only recommend a cozy but will also match it to your passion and/or hobby.
Then, getting ready for the holidays, we will spotlight several authors who have cookbooks either already on the shelves or in the works, including Debbie Macomber, Patricia Cornwell and Joanne Fluke. We will also feature a cookbook from Princess Diana's personal chef, who shares wonderful anecdotes about Di's family life and the royal children, William and Harry. Unlike most salacious accounts of the beloved princess's life, Darren McGrady's book focuses on warm stories that will capture your heart and recipes that will satisfy your appetites.
Another feature in the November issue is a story I raved about last year that appeared in a Scottish magazine covering romance novels set in Scotland written by a Scottish reporter. She has reworked the article for the American market and, if you love Scottish romance, it's one you will not want to miss. We also talk to several other authors about the enduring appeal of Scottish romances in a sidebar and there's also a complementing article from Kathryn Caskie, who just got married in Scotland and wanted to share her experience of the Highlands. Her article is titled Kilts, Castles and Happily Ever After.
The interviews we are working on for November will blow you away! Lined up are Sandra Brown, Diana Gabaldon and Linda Howard, not to mention the up-and-coming superstar Nalini Singh. How's that for a teaser? If you are not yet a subscriber, this is the issue to start up a subscription, because you won't want to miss it.
Just a note to say that I have been working extremely hard on the convention agenda and it is shaping up to be fantastic! John Scalzi and J.A. Konrath will join Emily Bryan for a hilarious workshop called "How to Be a Blog Queen" as part of our extensive social networking program new in 2010. We have gathered the experts for our expanded E-Book & E-Marketing program, which will demystify the e-book world for all who attend. We just got word that Anne Stuart and Jennifer Crusie will be stopping by for an Author Chat, and Jim and Shannon Butcher will be joining us this year as well.
The agenda will be up by mid-September but we have a list of authors attending so far up on the website to whet your appetite for the RT Booklovers Convention in Columbus, Ohio, April 28-May 2. Hope you will be able to join us.
Best of luck to all the moms getting the kids ready for the new school year and for those of you who don't have that challenge, enjoy the rest of the summer and the beautiful pre-autumn weather!
 Happy Reading,
Carol Stacy
Publisher
RT Book Reviews Magazine
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