Wednesday, August 05, 2009


SPANISH MAGNATE, RED-HOT REVENGE

by Lynn Raye Harris

Available NOW from Harlequin Presents



Nobody messes with Alejandro de Ramirez. He doesn't suffer fools, and certainly has no time for manipulative wantons. Rebecca Layton was both. Five years later, Alejandro's life is still in turmoil—and he's more merciless than ever. The Spanish magnate wants retribution….

Unusually, and frustratingly for Alejandro, his plan doesn't go smoothly. Surely Rebecca wasn't this alluring before. And did his body always respond in this way—with such passionate fury? This is no longer just revenge…this is red-hot and dangerous!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Hello, Playfriends and Honorary Playfriends! I’ve been a visitor to this blog since I realized in early 2006 that I was moving to Alabama. I remember going searching on the web one day for the RWA chapter closest to where I would be and somehow stumbling upon this site. The Playground quickly became a favorite stop on my morning blog tour, and I began to feel like I’d found friends even though no one here knew me yet.

When I arrived in Alabama in November 2006, the Playground Monitor emailed to ask how I was and to introduce me to the Instigator, who worked in an office close to where I was staying at the time. I quickly met up with Instigator for lunch, and felt just as welcome as I’d known I would when I still lived 5000 miles away.

Fast-forward nearly three years (really? Three? OMG, how time passes!) and the Playfriends are my friends in truth. From the moment I arrived at my first Heart of Dixie meeting, I knew I’d found a home with wonderful, welcoming, and crazy women just like me. (Not to mention I’d landed in the Mecca of Shoe Fabulosity!)

So when it was time to have a blog book launch party for my very first book, SPANISH MAGNATE, RED-HOT REVENGE, there could be no other place to celebrate than with my friends on the Playground (and that includes all you Honorary Playfriends too!).

It’s been a long journey getting to this point. It’s been filled with tears and frustration, but it’s also been filled with laughter and joy. There’s nothing better than seeing that book on the shelves finally. Nothing better than getting reader mail or receiving a great review.

Writers spend so much time laboring in isolation and waiting for the day when their work is available to the reading public. It seems rather surreal that my day has come. Just yesterday, in fact, I learned that my book debuted at #7 on the Borders Bestseller List for series romance. You may think I jumped up and down and called everyone I knew.

But I didn’t. I sat there looking at that list and remembering the journey that brought me to this point. I quietly told my husband. A bit later, I decided to share the news on my Facebook page and on Twitter.

It still seems unreal to me, you see. As if it could all disappear if I blink too hard. It took so long to get here that surely, surely it’s a dream.

But my friends assure me it is NOT a dream. I’ve seen my book in stores, I’ve signed copies, and I’ve talked to readers at the Literacy Autographing in Washington D.C. last month. It’s real, my book is real, and this day here with all of you is real.

So let’s get this party started! I’ll have Smarty Pants bring out all the Moan-Day hotties and get them busy serving the official Playground cocktail, the Teeter-Totter. (Because she’s super-organized like that.) They’ll also be serving whatever drink your heart desires, and they’ll be providing massages and bringing you unending supplies of chocolate. (We hope to see Captain Jack today, but he’s been a bit busy sailing and plundering the seven seas.)

I’m in such a happy, party mood that I’m going to give away not one, but two signed books to commenters! So get your party hats on and, for fun, tell me who your favorite romance hero is and why. (Or your favorite inspiration for a romance hero if you’re a writer.)

Postscript from the Playground Monitor:


I started reading this book at home, then brought it along to my mom's house and finished it on the beach. See?

Today I toured the Millionaire's Village on Jekyll Island, Georgia. It was begun as a hunting club for the uber-wealthy and a few of the "cottages" are open for viewing. These cottages are anywhere from 8000 to 15000 square feet and were only used for two to three months each year. I imagine Alejandro might have had a house on Jekyll if it were still a thriving hunt club today.

To go along with the books Lynn is giving away, one additional person will get my copy of the book, which is a little shopworn from the trip and may still have sand in the pages. Plus I'll throw in a little sea turtle paperweight and some sand I scooped from the shore on Jekyll Island, where real-life Presents-type heroes used to sun

39 comments:

Maven Linda said...

Woo-hoo! There's nothing like that first book coming out! Celebrate, drink Teetertotters all day long, and wear some great shoes. Life is good.

Stephanie said...

I am sooo excited for you!

And the #7 is great news as well.

Way to go!

Linda Winstead Jones said...

Yeah! Your first book is always special. I can't wait to read it. Squeee!

LJ

Christine said...

I am very happy for Lynn and can't wait to read my copy!

Sonya Clarke said...

I lurk over on I Heart Presents and remember reading when you won the contest so its real exciting to see that the chapter you won with has become a whole book. It sounds really good and a spanish hottie for a hero has to be good too.

Sonya
sonyaclarke@rocketmail.com

Captain Jack said...

Rich and famous you say? I must set sail in that direction and see what the crew can plunder.

Where's the rum? I don't see the rum? Does anyone have the rum?

J. Sparrow

Lynn Raye Harris said...

Wow, some of y'all are up early! I've got my lampshade ready to wear and my fabulous shoes, so I'm ready to party!

Thank you, Mavens Linda and LJ. :)

Stephanie and Christine, y'all are so sweet and I'm glad you're part of the craziness that is HOD. :)

Hi, Sonya! It's nice to meet you! Thanks for coming over to the Playground today. :)

Andrea Laurence AKA Smarty Pants said...

Woo Hoo!

:: Strolls in the room with a bottle of champagne for the teeter totters in one arm and the latest Moanday heartthrob, Channing, on the other. ::

I love that I got put in charge of the men and the booze. Of course, all will run smoothly. :)

Congrats, Lynn. I know you've worked so hard for this and its just a great beginning to an awesome career.

Lynn Raye Harris said...

Woohoo, Captain Jack has arrived! What is a party without him?

mslizalou said...

Woohoo Lynn! Congrats on your first book coming out! I'm so excited for you.

Lynn Raye Harris said...

Ah, I knew SP would be tickled with the task. And of course she got the pick of the hotties! :)

Thanks for the well wishes. :)

(Oh, and we better toss a bottle of rum over to Captain Jack....)

Hi, Liza! Thank you!

Playground Monitor said...

I know how excited I was to see your book on the shelves, so I can only imagine how excited YOU were. Congratulations and here's to many, many more #7's and higher.

Oh wait... is that Hugh over there in the corner? Looks like he's made a Teeter-Totter for me. Must go thank him for his kindness. ;-)

Kira Sinclair - AKA Instigator said...

Sqeeee!!!! I'm so excited for you, Lynn. There is nothing like seeing that first book on the shelf. Enjoy every minute of it.

And congratulations on #7!!!

Instigator

rmaria said...

Super excited cant wait to read it!!!!! congrats on getting the number 7 spot...

Alicia Hunter Pace (aka Jean Hovey and Stephanie Jones) said...

Yea for you and all your readers!

I'm headed to Publix after lunch. I'll make sure you're at eye level.

JV said...

How exciting! Maybe someday I'll see a book I've written on the shelves, but I have to get up the courage to write it and submit it, first!

mulberry said...

Yay Lynn Raye! I love that cover, and big congrats on your Bookscan number!

CrystalGB said...

Congratulations on your debut release. I am so happy for you.

Keli Gwyn said...

Congrats, Lynn! What a thrilling experience. Enjoyed your story.

Marcy said...

Congrats, Lynne! What a wonderful feeling it must be (hope to experience it myself someday).

Enjoy the excitement!

Marcy

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Lynn and may you be blessed with many more books. May I please have a Teetertotter and a medi/pedi? Just get Billy, you know Billy Currington to bring it on over. Oh, my....
robertsonreads

K8Cooke said...

Congrats on the first book, #7, and thank you! I was in a funk until being uplifted by your inspiring story. I've pulled out the keyboard with my fav picture of Errol Flynn to get started. I'm happy as smiles covered in dark chocolate for you!

Andrea Laurence AKA Smarty Pants said...

Welcome party guests!

We've flown in the DJ from the HQ party, so grab your drink and let's get to dancing!

Unknown said...

Congratulations! I love "my first book" stories. Hoping to have one of my own some day...

Betty Bolte said...

Am I too late to join the dancing? I even have on my shoes! :) Congrats Lynn on all your good news. I can't wait to pick up a copy of the book (I never win anything, you see...!) and indulge. Enjoy your success!

tetewa said...

Congrats on the release, sounds good!

Sherry Werth said...

Congratulations Lynn!! I have my copy and can't wait to read it. And congrats on the #7 spot!

Problem Child said...

I've been so busy all morning playing taxi driver for AC that I totally forgot this was Lynn's launch day! (And I just had lunch with her and I still forgot to say whoo-hoo! Children kill brain cells, obviously.)

WHOO-HOOO and SQUEEE!!

And YAY on hitting #7!

Lynn Raye Harris said...

Oh my goodness, pop out for a nice lunch with the Problem Child and return to all these lovely comments! So nice to see everybody.

Will begin replying....

Lynn Raye Harris said...

PM, I knew you'd be claiming Hugh! :) Give the poor boy some air, will ya?

Instigator, thanks for the squee!! :)

Lynn Raye Harris said...

Hi, rmaria, and thanks! I also just found out I'm at #76 on Bookscan!!! Very exciting, because they track the top 100 romance sales in a week.

Lynn Raye Harris said...

Jean, you're sweet. I can just see you rearranging those shelves in Publix!

Hi, JV! Thanks for coming on over today! And what are you waiting for? Get busy crafting that novel!

Mulberry! Thanks so much. Glad you could make it over today. :) Best of luck with that contest entry!

Lynn Raye Harris said...

Thanks for the congrats, Crystal and Keli!

Hi, Marcy! Believe. :) It can happen.

Hi, Roberstonreads! Oooh, a mani/pedi -- good idea! I need one of those. And I need a refill on this teeter totter thing!

Lynn Raye Harris said...

Hi, K8Cooke. Aw, how sweet of you! I'm so happy if I've lifted your spirits today. Keep writing and believing!

Oh, SP, good choice! He is very good -- and kind of cute too!

Hi, Michelle, and thanks! I know I sound like a broken record, but keep writing and believing. :)

Lynn Raye Harris said...

Betty, of course you aren't too late! Get dancing, girl!

Hi, Tetewa and Sherry, and thanks for celebrating with me!

PC, you've congratulated me, squee-ed with me, and even cried for me on one memorable occasion, so never fear that I don't know you are happy for me. :) It's so darn much fun having a line buddy!

ColleenFL said...

Congrats! I'm looking forward to reading the book.

Angel said...

Yay! Lynn. Can't wait to read it.

Angel

Karen said...

Yay! That's really exciting!

Katherine Bone said...

Yes... Yes... more... more... Captain... Jack... Sparrow... you complete me...

What? We've been found out? Oh! Sorry I haven't offered my congrats on debuting # 7(!!!!) yet, Lynn. I spied Jack right off and have been behind the palms with the wily gent who's been dipping into rum and pursuing more intimate discourse. He does like to talk, that one, if you know what I mean. Ne're occured to me the celebrating wasn't a cannon salute to the Captain's prowess or in response to the rapture found in his arms.

Right. I've gotten seriously off track. Rum and Jack do that to a woman.

This is your day and well deserved it is!! I'm so proud of you, Lynn. ;) I have your book in hand and plan on reading it on deck as my compass directs me to the Caribbean and new horizons, adventures at sea, pirate mayhem, rum... Jack... Oh, yes....