stephaniedraven.com » Silhouette Nocturne

Five Great Sites for Romance Writers

Stephanie Draven — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:11:32 +0000

It's a brave new world out there and there are more resources and opportunities for romance writers than ever before. Here are five great sites you may not have known about, but which could help launch your career:

Romance Divas. This website is command central for many romance writers. Founded and frequented by many published authors, Romance Divas offers free workshops, a very active forum, and a chat room in which writing challenges are the order of the day. (I confess that without this chat room and the writers there who egged me on, I might not have finished my last novel for HQN's Silhouette Nocturne line.) While a popular hangout for published authors, it's also a very welcoming place for the aspiring author and readers too. Just this month, several Romance Divas (including yours truly) offered up a virtual anthology of free stories in honor of Valentine's Day.
Dear Author This review site can be funny enough to make you spit-take, but it also strives to be fair to the romance community. Thoughtful discussions on the future of the industry take place regularly here and the cross-section of opinions from readers and authors alike is valuable for the professional writer.
eHarlequin.com. It may seem a little dodgy for me to recommend my own publisher's website, but in spite of the recent self-publishing debacle, eHarlequin remains one of the most active romance communities on the net. Readers not only buy books there and subscribe to category lines, but they also hang out and chat with authors. I've had more than a few readers tell me that they've picked up my books simply because I participate in the forums.What's more, there are many resources for the aspiring writer--including virtual pitch sessions with editors.
Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. Sometimes the snark factor at "The Bitchery" can be a little much, but the site is a wonderful hodgepodge of all things Romance, great and small. Sometimes it's a quest to expose plagiarism, other times it's a quest to find the title of a book that a reader once read but can't remember. What's more? Nora Roberts shows up in the comments section all the time, as if she were a mere mortal.
Romance Wiki. I didn't even know this site existed until a fan wrote to me to ask me for a list of every Silhouette Nocturne ever written. I had no idea, but Romance Wiki came to the rescue. The resource page alone is worth its weight in gold.
Romance in the Backseat. I had the pleasure of meeting Terry Kate at RWA Nationals last year. She was the first friendly face I saw, and she carries her enthusiasm to her website where she offers interviews and promotional opportunities for authors. She even sponsors virtual writing conventions!

Okay, so that's really six great sites for romance writers, not five. But instead of contemplating my abysmal math skills, get online and make the most of the opportunities available!

Something Really Nice to Wake Up To

Stephanie Draven — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:44:43 +0000

I've had a pretty great year, but with deadlines looming, I'm a stress-case right now and the day didn't start well. I woke up to snow outside and cat-hairballs on the inside. But then I found this little gem in my inbox ...

Top Five Tips for Getting Published by Silhouette’s Nocturne Line

Stephanie Draven — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:08:20 +0000

Are you an aspiring paranormal romance author? Harlequin's Silhouette Nocturne line is one of the best markets out there for innovative speculative fiction and here are the top five tips I've learned writing for HQN:

1. Nocturne Heroes Don't Cry

Editor Tara Gavin once shared with me that she rejects many books for Nocturne because the heroes are too soft. Nocturne readers are looking for an unrepentantly alpha hero. Now, as a writer, I know that showing a hero's heroism is tricky when he's not the type to show the chinks in his armor, but there are ways to delve into his emotions without letting him get weepy. By way of example...

They Say I’m Spicy!

Stephanie Draven — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:29:09 +0000

Over at Long and Short Romance Reviews, I've been rated Spicy and perhaps just short of hawt :P Oh, and they also seem to have liked WILD TETHERED BOUND...

Stephanie Draven is a new author for me and after reading this book I am ready to read more of her books...

Coffee Time Romance Likes WILD TETHERED BOUND

Stephanie Draven — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 19:48:21 +0000

Okay, so sue me. I just don't ever get sick of people praising my work! Coffee Time Romance just gave me a 4 Cup Review and I am tickled. The reviewer said in part...

Will love be able to heal the heart of a hardened man?

This is a very interesting story. I adore mythology so this book spoke to my heart. The author takes the old legends and merges them with modern times. Creative and fun, yet heart touching, this romantic tale keeps the reader going until the very end. As a daughter of a Vietnam veteran dealing with PTSD, I felt Nick’s pain to the very core of my being. I suggest picking up this story. There is never a dull moment.

WILD, TETHERED, BOUND can be purchased at eharlequin.com or at Amazon for the Kindle.

UN Soldiers Being Stoned in Congo

Stephanie Draven — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:22:00 +0000

In the romances I write for Silhouette Nocturne, I try to be globally aware. My first full-length romance novel is set--in part--in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the villain I created was inspired by General Laurent Nkunda, who is mentioned in the article below.

Another Review for Wild, Tethered, Bound

Stephanie Draven — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:21:15 +0000

KATHY KOZAKEWICH of Books, books, books... and, from time to time, a little RL wrote: What a fantastic story! There are definitely boundaries never before crossed in a Harlequin based romance, but Stephanie Draven's myth-creation demands it. Very well done and a story that thrilled at the same time broke my heart.

Excerpt Monday: MIDNIGHT MEDUSA

Stephanie Draven — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 05:00:20 +0000

It's a new month and that means two things. The first, is that I'm running a new contest in which you could win an Amazon gift certificate and a free copy of C.E.Murphy's HANDS OF FLAME just for signing up for my extremely infrequent newsletter. The second thing I have going on in September is participation in this month's Excerpt Monday! For your viewing pleasure, I present the first chapter of MIDNIGHT MEDUSA, my first Silhouette Nocturne Bite. It's a full chapter, so stay tuned till the end, where I list more authors offering free excerpts of their own!

A Challenge to My Home Town of Greece New York

Stephanie Draven — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:07:34 +0000

Okay, so I always thought I had to go to Greece to see the Parthenon, but apparently not. There's a shiny replica in...wait for it...Nashville, TN.

August Contest Winner Announced

Stephanie Draven — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:24:14 +0000

Hi everybody! I wanted to thank all of those who entered my contest to win a free ARC of WILD, TETHERED, BOUND. I chose the winner today–Kathy Kozakewich. But I don’t want to let the rest of you go empty handed, so I offer a very short free e-novella for you, entitled THE KNIFE’S EDGE. It’s [...]

Reviews for WILD, TETHERED, BOUND

Stephanie Draven — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 03:48:20 +0000

Here are some excerpts from my latest reviews! CataRomance

A bright future is forecast for talented author Stephanie Draven. Her narrative is poetic, as she is able to express every aspect of her story in an insightful way

I feel good!

Stephanie Draven — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:14:29 +0000

Today I finished my manuscript and sent it off to my editor. You know what that means? I think you do. It’s time for me to celebrate, and there is no better way than to scream wildly with bad karaoke. You want to hear me. You know you do. Click the link and hear me celebrate. [...]

Goats, Dragons and Lions. Oh My!

Stephanie Draven — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 04:15:02 +0000

Hey, I’ve been featured on Harlequin’s Paranormal Romance Blog. Here’s what I said: Ancient myths are often dismissed as simplistic stories our ancestors created to explain things they didn’t understand. I take a different view. I love mankind’s oldest stories because I believe they tell us about things we no longer understand–things about ourselves that we’ve [...]

Contest August 2009

Stephanie Draven — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:43:29 +0000

This is my first contest, so hold onto your hats and help me spread the word! I’ll be giving away an advanced review copy of WILD, TETHERED, BOUND and a $15 gift certificate from Amazon. I’ll do the drawing on September 1st. To enter the contest, follow these steps: 1. Cut and paste this blurb into your [...]

Excerpt from WILD, TETHERED, BOUND

Stephanie Draven — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 21:37:37 +0000

Nuristan Province, Afghanistan In the high leaves of a walnut tree, Dessa caressed the graceful branches. The limbs were covered in gray bark, a smooth skin over the tree’s lifeblood, which pounded in a secret rhythm only she could hear; this was the dryads’ heart tree and its pulse was just one pace behind her own. It [...]

Blurb for Wild, Tethered, Bound

Stephanie Draven — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 04:24:05 +0000

WILD, TETHERED, BOUND What if monsters of ancient myth are made, not born? And what if you find out that you’re one of them… Lieutenant NICK LEANDROS is a battle-hardened American soldier who thinks he’s seen everything. But nothing prepares him for the horrors he encounters when he’s separated from his patrol in a dark Afghani forest. [...]

Book Wenches Review for MIDNIGHT MEDUSA

Stephanie Draven — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 01:21:35 +0000

Title: Midnight Medusa Author: Stephanie Draven Author’s website: http://stephaniedraven.com/ Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises Release Date: April 2009 ISBN: 9781426833304 Length: Novella Format: Electronic Genre: Contemporary Paranormal Sensuality Level: 3 Rating: 3.5 Reviewed by: BD Whitney Renata Rukavina has a lifetime of anger built up inside her. Anger for the parents she lost and the childhood that ended before its time during the Bosnian War. An artist and a [...]

Shifting Gears

Stephanie Draven — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:23:24 +0000

For the past month I’ve been outlining my next modern mythology novel for Silhouette Nocturne. It’s going to feature a number of creatures from ancient myth–the hero is going to be a Minotaur–and in it I’ll explore the themes of war, beauty, and sexual repression. I sure like to keep it light! And while I’m excited at [...]

First Draft in 30 Days

Stephanie Draven — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:19:46 +0000

I don’t particularly consider myself to be a good writer, but I do think I’m a pretty good re-writer. This is why I like to have a completed first draft quickly–so that I can edit at leisure. And now that I’m under contract to deliver two novels by January, that emphasis on quick is more [...]

Wild, Tethered, Bound: My New Book Cover

Stephanie Draven — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:25:45 +0000

I’m so incredibly excited about this novella, which features a love story between a dryad and a modern day chimera. This cover is perfect. I want to kiss the art department over at Harlequin. I particularly love the look of the trees in the moonlight, and the fact that they have captured her in such a [...]