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As we all try to comprehend the sudden death of actress Natasha Richardson and the fragility of life itself, the RT family experienced its own loss and profound sorrow this month when Theresa Mattison, a valued member of our convention volunteer team, was killed in a car accident.
The weekend of March 1, Theresa was in Orlando with Convention Director Jo Carol Jones and others from the volunteer staff to firm up plans for the upcoming RT convention next month. It was on Theresa's six-hour drive back to Georgia when tragedy struck and we lost our dear friend and colleague, just 25 miles from her home. She was only 40 years old. Our hearts go out to her family and friends and a special tribute that celebrates her life and her love of books and authors is in the new issue.
On Monday, March 2, the newly founded Lady Jane's Salon held its second reading series in Manhattan at Madame X on Houston Street where Lauren Willig read passages from her latest New York Times bestseller, THE TEMPTATION OF THE NIGHT JASMINE
(photos). Although the weather did not cooperate, dozens trudged through the snow to attend, including RT's webmaster Rob, whom we affectionately call our "web guy." He took over for Natalie last month and is enjoying getting to know the people in the book community. Check out Rob's occasional blog entries on our website. For those of you who live in the New York area, the next reading is Monday, April 6 at the same place. Alisa Sheckley
(THE BETTER TO HOLD YOU) and Maya Rodale (THE ROGUE AND THE RIVAL) will read from their books and the guest host will be the incomparable Sarah Wendell, co-founder of the Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
blog and co-author of BEYOND HEAVING BOSOMS, a hilarious insider account of the romance novel industry from the '70s to the present.
The PASIC Conference -- Published Authors' Special Interest Chapter of Romance Writers of America -- was held in New York this month and we were invited to present a workshop titled The Enduring Power of Romance (photos). The editorial staff, senior historical romance reviewer Kathe Robin
and I sat on the panel and addressed the many questions on authors' minds. Despite the gloom-and-doom book industry predictions that were prevalent throughout the conference, the RT BOOK REVIEWS main message to authors was simple: Fans love you, they are still reading lots of books and reading is still a passion for them.
While it's true that book sales in general are down, it's also true that people tend to return to reading in times of economic downturns -- especially to feel-good books with a happily-ever-after ending. I have been through a few recessions in my 26 years at RT and fans have never stopped reading and anticipating their favorite authors' next books. So authors, take heart. You will survive!
Before I get to the MAY ISSUE, I want to share some exciting news.
Starting this month RT BOOK REVIEWS is cross-marketed in the book sections at most Borders stores throughout the country -- which means we are in the book section as well as in the magazine section. If you shop at Borders, PLEASE e-mail me to let me know if the magazine is in the romance book section and include the Borders address (Borders store number if available), city and state so that we can follow up with our distributor. We will be in the book sections of most Borders stores for the next four issues (May, June, July and August issues) and it would be a tremendous help if YOU
could report to us how well the program is being implemented. Take a picture of yourself next to the display in your Borders book section and send it to me and I'll publish it in the magazine or on the RT website.
Next up -- drum roll please -- we will be sporting a new masthead starting with the June issue. This new look is more contemporary and will appeal to a broader audience. The main reason for the change is that we are in the process of a complete overhaul of our website, which will not only have a new look but will also have lots of new content, including an interactive blog. All of the existing content will remain on the site, including the message boards and of course, the reviews. The launch is tentatively scheduled for July and in the interim we will be transitioning the new masthead to all of our printed and electronic materials.
There is even more exciting news on the horizon to report, but until everything is signed and sealed, I cannot divulge the details. Look for more announcements next month guaranteed to please.
Now on to the new issue, which has a striking cover thanks to the artwork from S.J. Day aka Sylvia Day's new release, EVE OF DARKNESS. It's the first book in her urban fantasy Marked series. This prolific author burst onto the fiction scene in 2006 and has not looked back, with a dozen books on the shelves and two new series launching this year under two new pseudonyms.
Our Trend Watch takes us into the world of zombie fiction, a new breed of creatures gaining popularity with paranormal fans. Anthologies have been around for a long time, but the proliferation of these novella compilations had us take a fresh look at why they are fast becoming a great option for busy readers with limited funds.
Look for interviews with romance favorite Lynn Kurland, YA superstar Melissa Marr and cover man Chris Winters, last year's Mr. Romance winner. If you are a fan of classic romance cover art, you're in for a treat with an article about one of the masters, Jon Paul, who is celebrating 25 years in the industry with a stunning coffee table book featuring more than 100 of his paintings. His work has been on thousands of covers, including those of Kathleen Woodiwiss, Stephanie Laurens, Heather Graham, Elizabeth Boyle, Karen Hawkins and Kresley Cole
, to name a few. In this feature you will see a rare glimpse of the process from cover shoot to finished art. It's really quite fascinating.
This is the last issue before the RT convention next month in Orlando and so we spotlight some of the last-minute workshop and party additions, including two workshops presented by Mediabistro's GalleyCat editor Ron Hogan and one presented by Ilona Andrews
and her paranormal fiction friends. We also have more details on Harlequin's 60th anniversary celebration and their Martini Mashed-Potato Bash, where they will have lots of giveaways for attendees and an opportunity to meet nearly 50 of their authors at this special gathering.
We also spotlight 60 of our international friends attending the RT convention this year -- readers, booksellers, aspiring and published authors. They are from 13 countries including Egypt, Azerbaijan, Singapore, Israel and the Netherlands.
If you live in the Orlando area, be sure to come to the RT Expo on Wednesday, April 22, from 4:30-7pm and to the Book Fair on Saturday, April 25, from 11am-2pm. Bring your book lover friends and family and meet more than 400 authors who will be autographing their latest books. Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to party with fellow book lovers.
The fifth and final American Title competition is nearing the end and you only have a few more days to cast your vote. It's down to a paranormal and a historical, so please vote for the best love scene if you want to see your favorite contestant win a contract with Dorchester Publishing. Voting ends March 29.
Now on to the June issue, which as I mentioned, will sport our new masthead.
The prolific Brenda Jackson is on the cover and she is hotter than ever with 14 books coming out in 2009, including a Silhouette Desire in August titled ONE NIGHT WITH THE WEALTHY RANCHER. Brenda is getting ready for her annual Madaris Family Reunion Cruise, which takes place June 15-20. Details are on her website.
We are working on a couple of fun features for the June issue. One explores a new way to look at covers and one follows some beloved series that ended abruptly, i.e., without a conclusion to see if we can get the author's take on how she would have ended it. Our interviews this month are diverse: one is with David Baldacci conducted by fellow author James Rollins. We just love our author-on-author interviews. Others include romance favorites Debbie Macomber and Mary Balogh and also popular YA author Sarah Dessen. Quite a lineup. Look for the RT Award winners for Career Achievement and Reviewers' Choice in the June issue.
New author Judi Fennell is giving away three romantic getaway packages at two popular bed & breakfasts: Atlantis Inn in Ocean City, N.J., and Hibiscus House in West Palm Beach, Fla. They're tied in with her upcoming books: Getaway Package #1 celebrates OVER HER HEAD, which will be released in June. The drawing will be held June 30, 2009. Getaway Package #2 celebrates WILD BLUE UNDER, to be released in November. The winner will be selected November 30, 2009. Getaway Package #3 celebrates CATCH OF A LIFETIME, to be released in early 2010. The drawing will be held February 28, 2010. Be sure to enter
. Also there's a $150 promo code on Judi's home page for anyone to use if you want to go away for the weekend in Ocean City, N.J., now through Mothers Day weekend (5/10/09).
And don't forget If you live within the New York tristate area, mark your calendar for April 7 and head to the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn., where Lisa Jackson will be appearing as part of their "Winning Authors" program. A live discussion will take place from 6:30-7:30pm, followed by a signing of her latest, MALICE. Good luck at the casino for all who can make it. Should be a lot of fun!!
 Happy reading and happy spring and hope to see many of you at the RT convention in Orlando next month,
Carol Stacy
Publisher
Romantic Times BOOKreviews Magazine
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