IMHO (In My Humble Opinion)

Want THE PROMISE on Kindle?

2011-01-28T14:47:00.000-06:00

THE PROMISE is finally on Kindle! Here's the link. Enjoy! TJB

It's ON!

2010-08-03T21:37:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to let everyone who is interested know that the talk I had to postpone from April is ON again. I'll be speaking to the wonderful group of writers over at West Houston RWA on my MBTI-based topic, "When Your Princess Isn't Perfect: Understanding the Dark Side of Your Romantic Heroine," on August 14, 2010. Please feel free to visit the website for more details. This is a follow-up to

Join the PROMISE ME/FOR MY SISTER campaign

2010-07-01T23:23:00.000-05:00

Anyone who has read the work of Joni Rodgers, a terrific novelist and memoir guru (Bald in the Land of Big Hair) may want to know she's co-authored a wonderful memoir by Nancy G. Brinker, founder of the Susan G. Komen foundation for breast cancer research and Susan's sister. Right now the publisher is sponsoring a special campaign wherein if you pre-order the book, they will also send a

Winners of Amazon.com Gift Certificates!

2010-05-27T20:46:00.000-05:00

Thanks for discussing LOST with me, folks. I've picked the winners of the two Amazon.com $10 gift certificates. Please contact me via my e-mail at tjb(at)tjbennett(dot)com and let me know if you would like yours sent electronically or via the mail (and I'll need your appropriate contact info either way). The winners are: Candace Margay Congratulations! For those of you who didn't win, stay

Last thoughts on LOST and storytelling

2010-05-24T10:40:00.004-05:00

Okay, so if you haven't seen the finale of LOST yet, do not read any further. There WILL BE SPOILERS ahead. >>>>SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT<<<< Don't say I didn't warn ya. So, why not add my thoughts to the gazillions already trending on Twitter and the webverse? Everybody with a blog has an opinion, so here is mine. I don't know what I think. Yet. And that is the beauty of

Just to let you know I'm still here...and laughing...

2010-05-16T17:00:00.002-05:00

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

And more good news...

2010-04-20T18:37:00.000-05:00

I've just been informed that my first novel, THE LEGACY, has a negotiated agreement for its first foreign rights sale! It will be going to France, which apparently appreciates my work and Jerry Lewis's, for what that's worth. LOL! Vive la France! TJB

Performance Reviews in Hell

2010-04-17T21:19:00.000-05:00

Because some days are just like this:

Some Good News

2010-04-17T20:03:00.000-05:00

I guess it's okay to officially announce this now, and I'm glad because I can't keep it to myself any longer. I've signed with a fabulous new agent at a wonderful agency I've been hoping to be with for a long time. I feel like I landed the dream date quarterback and got crowned queen of the prom all in one. Lucienne Diver of The Knight Agency offered me representation, and I have accepted. I'm so

Winners of free books!

2010-04-15T17:14:00.000-05:00

We have our winners, folks. Christine, you are the winner of Gerry Bartlett's Vampires Hate Their Thighs! Kara C, you are the winner of Colleen Thompson's Touch of Evil! Both copies are signed by their authors and yours to treasure forever...provided you claim them by sending me an e-mail (tjb @ tjbennett . com) no later than April 19. I'll need your snail mail address to send them out to you

Best Laid Plans...

2010-04-11T00:27:00.001-05:00

Wow, life likes to throw curve balls at ya, doesn't it? Despite my best laid plans, I was forced to reschedule my workshop at West Houston RWA due to a family emergency (I will present in August instead). My broke kid got broken again (fractured his left leg in two places), which requires me to play momma nurse again. So, no extra books. Sighhhh. However, I do still have signed copies of

Well, hello there!

2010-04-04T17:42:00.001-05:00

I swear I'm not dead. Nor have I moved to outer Mongolia. Not even inner Mongolia. But I have been busy. I'm in the middle of some transitions, starts and restarts, all occurring at the same time. And of course, it doesn't help that my computer crashed at the most critical point of that, because my new side business venture requires, of course, for me to have a working computer. Of course. I

Too Late for King George to 'pologize!

2010-02-22T23:38:00.003-06:00

Any video featuring the Founding Fathers of America in a hair band has got my vote. This very clever depiction by Soomo Publishing of why it was too late for King George to "apologize" to Thomas Jefferson and the writers of the Declaration of Independence is an absolute must see, and I wish they'd taught it this way when I was in high school. And is it just me, or is ol' bewigged Tommy J. kinda,

Winner of February 13 Smart Prize!

2010-02-14T06:02:00.005-06:00

MJ, you are the winner of an ARC of Vicki Hinze's FORGET ME NOT and Don Helin's THY KINGDOM COME! MJ, please send me your name and snail mail address by February 14, 2010, or I will award the prize to another eligible person. You must send the e-mail to me at tjb @ tjbennett . com (no spaces) with your prize in the subject line to claim it. Thanks to everyone for participating in our event.

Winner of February 12 Smart Prizes!

2010-02-13T06:02:00.009-06:00

Joder, you are the winner of Don Helin's THY KINGDOM COME and the $15 Amazon.com gift certificate! Joder, please send me your name and snail mail address by February 14, 2010, or I will award the prize to another eligible person. You must send the e-mail to me at tjb @ tjbennett . com (no spaces) with your prize in the subject line to claim it. Congratulations! For all the rest of youse, there

Smart Woman: Vicki Hinze, contemporary romance author and PhD

2010-02-13T06:00:00.021-06:00

As we careen to a stop one day ahead of Valentine's Day, we welcome the multi-published-in-many-genres-of-romance author Vicki Hinze to bring up our rear (metaphorically speaking) as she gives us her perspective on our theme, "Smart Women (and Men) Read Romance." As well as being an award-winning author, Vicki holds a Doctorate in Philosophy, Theocentric Business & Ethics, and her thoughtful

Winner of Feb. 11 Smart Prize!

2010-02-12T06:02:00.006-06:00

Sandra Lynne, you are the winner of Carolyn Jewel's SCANDAL and MY FORBIDDEN DESIRE! Sandra, please send me your name and snail mail address by February 14, 2010, or I will award the prize to another eligible person. You must send the e-mail to me at tjb @ tjbennett . com (no spaces) with your prize in the subject line to claim it. Congratulations! TJB

Smart Man: Don Helin, thriller author, retired military

2010-02-12T06:00:00.013-06:00

We're heading into the final stretch in our defense of romance, with only today and tomorrow left to make our case that "Smart Women (and Men) Read Romance." Speaking of defense, on board is retired army dude Don Helin, who, while not carrying the label of "romance author" per se, is a staunch advocate. Don writes scary, true-to-life thrillers in a military setting. After three tours at the

A Romance Ad I'd Like to See

2010-02-11T23:46:00.001-06:00

[Setting: An office, at the center of a cubical farm. A nice-looking man in his mid-30s, John, wearing dark slacks, white dress shirt, no tie, sleeves rolled up, sits at one of the desks with his nose in a romance novel, obviously on a break. Two of his male co-workers enter, spot him, and start rolling their eyes.] Co-worker #1 (plopping down on John’s desk): You gotta be kidding me. John,

Winner of Feb 10 Smart Prize

2010-02-11T06:02:00.001-06:00

Willaful, you are the winner of Carolyn Jewel's INDISCREET and TJ Bennett's THE LEGACY! Willaful, please send me your name and snail mail address by February 14, 2010, or I will award the prize to another eligible person. You must send the e-mail to me at tjb @ tjbennett . com (no spaces) with your prize in the subject line to claim it. Congratulations! TJB

Smart Woman: Carolyn Jewel, romance author and DBA

2010-02-11T06:00:00.016-06:00

Welcome back! Today we continue with our "Why Smart Women (and Men) Read Romance" theme with the multi-published author of historical and paranormal romance and smarty-pants database administrator Carolyn Jewel. Carolyn, being a romance author, has generously donated three of her titles to the cause. Yesterday's book, INDISCREET, was the first. Today's books, the historical romance SCANDAL and

Winner of February 9 "Smart" Contest

2010-02-10T06:02:00.003-06:00

Virginia C. (this is the Virginia who commented at 7:57 AM, February 09, 2010), you are the winner of the audiobook version of Madeline Hunter's SECRETS OF SURRENDER, as well as a signed copy of my historical romance, THE PROMISE. Virginia C., please send me your name and snail mail address by February 14, 2010, or I will award the prize to another eligible person. You must send the e-mail to

Smart Woman: Dr. Debra Holland, psychologist

2010-02-10T06:00:00.020-06:00

Welcome back to another day in defense of romance, where we feature smart women (and men) who tell you why they read (and write) romance. Today, our guest is Dr. Debra Holland, a practicing psychologist and former RWA Golden Heart winner and two-time finalist. Dr. Debra is the epitomy of a kick-butt romance novel heroine: blond, beautiful, brilliant, and a black-belt in karate. She'll give us

February 8 Winner announced!

2010-02-09T06:02:00.001-06:00

The winner of the $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble is Brandie N! Brandie N., please send me your name and snail mail address by February 14, 2010, or I will award the prize to another eligible person. You must send the e-mail to me at tjb @ tjbennett . com (no spaces) with your prize in the subject line to claim it. Congratulations! TJB

Smart Woman: Madeline Hunter, Historical Romance Author and University Professor

2010-02-09T06:00:00.007-06:00

IMHO continues our series of pre-Valentine’s day posts (from Feb 7 - 13) with the theme of “Why Smart Women (and Men) Read Romance.” Please help me welcome Madeline Hunter, a repeat offender on IMHO and a bestselling author of historical romance--who also happens to be a very smart university professor. Madeline is giving away an audiobook of her NYT bestseller SECRETS OF SURRENDER, and I'll

Winner of February 7 "Smart" Prizes!

2010-02-08T06:01:00.002-06:00

The winner of Courtney Milan's PROOF BY SEDUCTION and Rob Preece's HUNGER is Susan Macatee. Susan, please send me your name and snail mail address by February 14, 2010, or I will award the prize to another eligible person. You must send the e-mail to me at tjb @ tjbennett . com (no spaces) with your prize in the subject line to claim it. Congratulations! TJB

Smart Man: William Simon, cyber crimes investigator

2010-02-08T06:00:00.011-06:00

IMHO continues our series of pre-Valentine’s day posts with the theme of “Why Smart Women (and Men) Read Romance.” Please welcome William Simon, professional cyber crimes investigator, as he gives his perspective on this topic. He knows whereof he speaks, as the manly Will is the former president of one of the local Houston-area Romance Writers of America chapters. Just to remind you, I’ll be

Why Smart Women (and Men) Read Romance

2010-02-07T06:02:00.013-06:00

Today IMHO welcomes a "double-header" of smart people, Courtney Milan, debut historical romance author, and Rob Preece, former Golden Heart Finalist and PhD, for the first in a series of pre-Valentine’s day posts with the theme of “Why Smart Women (and Men) Read Romance.” I've asked each guest to give me a little bio which displays their smartness for all and sundry to see. As you might

Smart Woman: Courtney Milan, debut historical romance author

2010-02-07T06:01:00.006-06:00

Courtney Milan: For this post, TJ asked me to provide a biography explaining why I was "smart." I balked. First, anytime anyone ever declares themselves smart, all I can think of is Homer Simpson dancing around, declaring, "I am so smart!" while his house caught fire behind him. Second, I don't think biography ever proves someone is smart. You can have PhDs from every Ivy League school out there

Smart Man: Rob Preece, PhD

2010-02-07T06:00:00.012-06:00

Rob Preece: Do Smart Guys Read Romance? I know what you’re thinking—those pink covers with girls in their nightgowns running out of old castles, titles that make you choke… like The Cowboy and the Diaper Pail or The Billionaire's Babe’s Secret Baby. Who’d want to read that? But maybe you haven’t really thought it through. Forget about those (frequently) awful covers and those (even more

Smart People are Sexy...

2010-02-02T00:02:00.000-06:00

And what better way to prove it then to show your intelligence, good taste, and superiority by stopping by my blog, IMHO, the week of February 7 – 13. During that week, IMHO will feature a lineup of guests who will discourse on the topic of “Why Smart Women (and Men) Read Romance.” My goal in lining up the guest hosts for this event is to shatter the “romance reader” stereotype by asking some

Unclaimed Random Freebies given to new winners! Is it you?

2010-01-30T11:54:00.000-06:00

Hi, everyone! Since two of the previous random freebie winners did not claim their prizes, according to my rules, I'm selecting two new winners from my list of eligibles. Remember, even if you leave your e-mail address on your comment, I will not contact you to notify you of your win. In other words, return visits to my blog are their own reward, heh heh. Winners must contact me with a snail mail

Clock's ticking, Random Freebie winners...

2010-01-27T08:46:00.000-06:00

Still waiting to hear from two of our random freebie winners. Remember, you only have until Friday to send me an e-mail claiming your prize. Include your snail mail address. If I don't hear from you, I'll have to give your prize away to another eligible winner. Donnas has claimed Beguiled; I'm still waiting to hear from these winners: 1. Busy Bee - Knight of Pleasure 2. J K Maze - Divorced,

Random Freebie Winners!

2010-01-25T09:00:00.009-06:00

I've chosen the winners for my latest Random Freebie contest, and they are as follows: 1. Busy Bee - Knight of Pleasure 2. J K Maze - Divorced, Desperate, and Deceived 3. donnas - Beguiled Congratulations, everyone, on winning these great books! However, you have one more step. You need to claim your prize by sending me an e-mail with your mailing address to tjb @ tjbennett . com (no spaces)

Psst! I'm giving away some random freebies!

2010-01-22T09:43:00.001-06:00

It's our secret, okay? I've got some random freebies to give away, and I've even got one you aren't supposed to be able to buy yet...AND it's signed by the authors. But don't TELL anyone, for goodness' sake! Here's the rules: leave a comment telling me which books, in order, you'd most like to win. I've got three, listed herewith: 1. DIVORCED, DESPERATE, AND DECEIVED by Christie

Under the Radar Romances

2010-01-21T12:03:00.000-06:00

The Seasons Blog is asking about romances deserving recognition that have flown "under the radar" for lack of buzz, promotion, bookstore shelf space, etc. If you'd like to add a comment or suggest a book she should give attention to (*cough cough*), stop on over. TJB

New event planned for Valentine's Week!

2010-01-17T23:51:00.000-06:00

Hi, folks! Just wanted to give you a head's up that I have a fantastic event in the making for Valentine's Week. I'll let you know as soon as the whole thing is locked down solid, but I was inspired to do a special event for the most romantic week of the year when a dear friend found herself in the position of having to defend her right to read romance recently to a mocking naysayer. If you are

Winners of the "Dang it's Cold" Random Freebies!

2010-01-09T20:18:00.000-06:00

We have our winners, folks! Dyockman of San Diego, CA, you are the winner with the warmest temp of 76F degrees. You will receive To Desire a Devil by Elizabeth Holt. Chey of Red Lake, ON, you are the winner with the lowest temp of -30C (-22F). You will receive Wicked All Day by Liz Carlyle. You have until Wednesday, Jan 13, to contact me with your mailing address to claim your prize. Winners

"Dang, it's COOOLD" Random Freebie Giveaway

2010-01-08T09:15:00.002-06:00

I'm laughing here in Houston, folks, because it's 25 degrees. I'm not laughing because it's cold, but because of the Houstonian's reaction to it. Now, understand that we are about 20 degrees lower than normal right now, so I get that. It is cold. But Houstonians are freaking out. I mean, it's just COLD, fer crying out loud. It's not even going to rain! Not even sleeting, snowing, storming, or

And the winner of the Christmas-theme tote is...

2009-12-28T08:00:00.002-06:00

JANE L!! (Please note there was more than one Jane commenting on the site this month; this is JANE L.) JANE L, you are the winner of December's tote filled with autographed books from all of this month's guest, a copy of my historical romance THE LEGACY, and the $20 gift certificate from Amazon.com! JANE L., you must contact me at my e-mail tjb @ tjbennett DOT com in order to claim your prize by

IMHO Welcomes Carrie Lofty!

2009-12-23T00:02:00.058-06:00

IMHO would like to welcome our final guest for 2009 (and for the duration, as the guest author segments are taking an indefinite break for a while; but no worries--we'll be back with the occasional special event). Carrie Lofty has visited with us before, and we're delighted to have her back again to close out the year. Born in California and raised in the Midwest, Carrie found the love of her

A little holiday humor!

2009-12-18T12:23:00.000-06:00

Hey, folks. Some hilarious holiday humor videos are being posted over on Twitter, and I thought I'd share a couple with you here. "Can't Wrap This" - with apologies to MC Hammer, no doubt. And if that wasn't enough, here's the very creative "Silent Singing Monks" with a rather unique approach to performing the "Hallelujah Chorus." Hope you are having fun with this holiday

IMHO Welcomes Christie Craig!

2009-12-16T00:02:00.004-06:00

Christie Craig, an Alabama native, is an award-winning, multi-published writer, multi-published photo journalist, motivational speaker, and writing teacher. Her non-fiction articles and photography have appeared in almost three thousand national magazines. (Don't worry. She'll explain that picture in a minute.) A Golden Heart finalist, and a finalist in more than fifty RWA-sponsored

Why my blood pressure was 149/84 today...

2009-12-09T21:28:00.001-06:00

1. Had my day planned. Knew I'd be busy, but I figured if I got ready by 9:45am, I could make my doctor's appointment (surgeon's follow up) at 11am easily, then head over to pick up Twin #1 from school for his appointment (physical therapy) at 1:15pm. No worries. 2. At 9:40am, I suddenly realized I had neglected to do any promotion for today's guest host on my blog. Ack! I hastily made the

IMHO welcomes Jennifer Ashley!

2009-12-09T00:02:00.005-06:00

Jennifer Ashley is the award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of more than forty novels and novellas, writing as Jennifer Ashley and Allyson James, and several others. She writes, among other things, pararnormal and historical romance, and probably has more pen names than Jayne Ann Krentz. To see them all, and find out what else she writes, check out her bio. In her spare time (what

Snow in Houston!

2009-12-04T15:36:00.001-06:00

A nice (and very unusual) Christmas surprise...snow in Houston. Thereby begging the question: Is Hell officially frozen over now? The view from my deck: TJB

IMHO Welcomes Emily Bryan!

2009-12-02T00:02:00.002-06:00

Well, December and the holidays are upon us, and it's time for this month's themed giveaway, "All I Want for Christmas is...". Don't you just love this time of year? My first guest this month is Emily Bryan, award-winning author of light-hearted historical romances. Emily learned much of what she knows about writing from singing. A classically trained soprano, she gleaned the elements of

And the winner of the "Giving Thanks" tote bag is...

2009-11-30T08:00:00.005-06:00

Carolsnotebook! Congratulations, carolsnotebook, you are the winner of the "Giving Thanks" tote bag filled with signed books from this month's guest hosts Sherry Thomas, Tracy Madison, Jessica Trapp, and Anthea Lawson; an autographed copy of my historical romance, THE PROMISE; and a $20 gift card from Barnes and Noble. You have until December 7, 2009, to claim your prize by sending me an e-mail

And the winner of the "Thank-y! Thank-y!" tote bag is ...

2009-11-26T08:00:00.001-06:00

Linda Henderson! Congratulations, Linda Henderson, you are the winner of our special Thanksgiving Day giveaway. You have until December 3 to claim your prize by sending an e-mail to me at tjb @ tjbennett DOT com. What, you might ask, do you win in this awesome bag? Autographed copies of the books featured below (subject to changes pending receipt of books from the authors): You can

IMHO Welcomes Anthea Lawson!

2009-11-25T00:02:00.024-06:00

Anthea Lawson is the pseudonym for a husband-wife team who writes spicy Victorian romance. Romantic Times Book Reviews said of their debut novel, PASSIONATE, in which James Huntington leads artist Lily Strathmore and her eccentric, lovable family in search of a fabled bloom, "an offbeat adventure romance…readers will enjoy the wordplay and intriguing characters as they search for a

And once again...thankful thankfulness!

2009-11-24T08:00:00.000-06:00

As mentioned in last week's post, we finish up today with messages of thankfulness from some of IMHO's 2009 guest hosts, culminating in the awarding of the "Thank-y! Thank-y!" tote bag prize on November 26, 2009, Thanksgiving Day. Here are more wonderful messages from the authors. Be sure to comment by November 25 for a chance to win. I'll announce the final contents of the tote and the winner of

Thankful is as thankful does...

2009-11-23T08:00:00.002-06:00

As mentioned in a previous post, we continue today with messages of thankfulness from some of IMHO's 2009 guest hosts, culminating in the awarding of the "Thank-y! Thank-y!" tote bag prize on November 26, 2009, Thanksgiving Day. Here are more wonderful messages from the authors. Be sure to comment by November 25 for a chance to win. ****************************************************************

And the thanks go on...and the thanks go on...on & on & on & on & on. Laa-da-da-da dee...

2009-11-22T10:00:00.003-06:00

(Sorry for the Sonny & Cher homage, folks). As mentioned in Monday's post, we continue today with messages of thankfulness from some of IMHO's 2009 guest hosts, culminating in the awarding of the "Thank-y! Thank-y!" tote bag prize on November 26, 2009, Thanksgiving Day. Here are more wonderful messages from the authors. Be sure to comment by November 25 for a chance to win. *********************

Even more Thank-y Thankfulness!

2009-11-20T10:00:00.001-06:00

As mentioned in Monday's post, we continue today with messages of thankfulness from some of IMHO's 2009 guest hosts, culminating in the awarding of the "Thank-y! Thank-y!" tote bag prize on November 26, 2009, Thanksgiving Day. Here are more wonderful messages from the authors. Be sure to comment by November 25 for a chance to win. ******************************************************************

IMHO Welcomes Jessica Trapp!

2009-11-18T00:02:00.010-06:00

Jessica Trapp writes romances striking for their sensuality and strong conflicts between her heroes and heroines. She has placed in numerous fiction writing contests including winning the coveted K.I.S.S. award from Romantic Times Magazine. She believes a dynamic romance is one where two opposing characters are transformed into two people who share love and passion. Her writings have been

More thankful authors giving thankfulness. Say thank-y!

2009-11-17T10:00:00.000-06:00

As mentioned in yesterday's post, we continue today with messages of thankfulness from some of IMHO's 2009 guest hosts, culminating in the awarding of the "Thank-y! Thank-y!" tote bag prize on November 26, 2009, Thanksgiving Day. Here are more wonderful messages from the authors. Be sure to comment by November 25 for a chance to win. **************************************************************

Thank-y! Thank-y! A second chance at a tote bag o' books

2009-11-16T15:08:00.000-06:00

As mentioned in my newsletter, on Thanksgiving Day, I'll be giving away a second tote bag of Random Freebies which I'm calling "Thank-y! Thank-y!" (because I can) to a lucky winner at IMHO (this is seperate from our "Giving Thanks" tote featuring signed books by this month's guest hosts). This tote will contain Random Freebie autographed books, a few donated, some purchased by me for giveaways.

Historical Novel Cover Contest

2009-11-13T09:36:00.001-06:00

Hey, just popping in to let you know The Season Blog is having a historical romance novel cover contest that ends November 15. I'd love your vote for THE PROMISE, if you are so inclined, but even if you aren't, stop over and check out the covers and vote for your favorites. There are some lovely ones there. TJB

My Blog Talk Radio debut

2009-11-12T14:29:00.001-06:00

While you folks were enjoying Tracy Madison's company yesterday (please be sure to leave her a comment to increase your chances of winning one of our two Thanksgiving themed totes, by the way), I was over at Blog Talk Radio enjoying some lively discussions with other authors about how we can benefit from social media. The slate also included horror filmmaker/author Gregory Lamberson (Slime

IMHO Welcomes Tracy Madison!

2009-11-11T00:02:00.008-06:00

Paranormal romance with a delightful touch is Tracy Madison’s signature style, and it’s no surprise since she grew up far more interested in the world of the make believe than the real world right outside her door. Almost from the moment she learned to read, she says, she discovered the magic of books. With Nancy Drew, C.S. Lewis, or J.R.R. Tolkien as her guide, she traveled to different

Upcoming Events

2009-11-08T20:53:00.001-06:00

Hi, folks! The picture has nothing to do with this post, but I knew it would get your attention, heh heh heh. (Yes, that's a young Pierce Brosnan. Sighhh.) So, now that I have it (your attention, that is), I just wanted to give you a head's up about two promotional events for this week. I'd love for you to join me if you can. Okay...I'll admit that what I'm really thinking is that unless

IMHO welcomes Sherry Thomas!

2009-11-04T00:02:00.001-06:00

IMHO is delighted to welcome our first guest host for Novemeber to celebrate this month's theme in honor of Thanksgiving. That theme is, as you might expect, "Giving Thanks," and our guest is Sherry Thomas. Sherry burst onto the scene with Private Arrangements, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2008, as well as being honored with RITA® nominations for Best First Book and Best Historical Romance

Favorite quote of the day...

2009-11-02T14:52:00.002-06:00

From Joni Rodgers, with whom I have the great fortune to share a critique group, comes this bon mot from Boxing the Octopus (on writing): Whenever I hear that old "everyone has a book in them" axe, I can't help but point out: Everyone has a spleen in them, too, but it takes a particular skill set to get it out, and only in rare circumstances is it a good idea to display it on a shelf.

And the winners of the "Love is Scary!" tote bags are...

2009-10-31T14:28:00.000-05:00

throuthehaze and Karen W! You are the winners of the two "Love is Scary!" tote bags. You have until November 5, 2009, to claim your totes. Sorry I don't have a picture up this month of the totes, but I'm still awaiting delivery of two of the books from the authors. Never fear, they will be here soon. In the meantime, let's remind the winners what they've won: Tote #1 features my autographed

IMHO Welcomes Kimberly Killion

2009-10-28T00:02:00.014-05:00

Award-winning author Kimberly Killion writes sexy Medieval romances for Zebra Books. Her debut book, HER ONE DESIRE, was a RITA® nominee, and her second book, HIGHLAND DRAGON, went into a second printing before release. Kimberly's gorgeous, dramatic novels have the sweep and intensity of Hannah Howell's megaselling Scottish romances. Although an artist by profession, Kimberly traded her

IMHO Welcomes Roxanne St. Claire!

2009-10-21T00:02:00.014-05:00

Roxanne St. Claire grew up in Pittsburgh, moved away at 17 to attend UCLA, led a colorful existence in California where she legally changed her last name from Zink to St. Claire because a TV producer asked her to, had bit parts in two well-known sitcoms (also because a TV producer asked her to), took off to Boston for a fabulous career in PR, met her husband in an elevator while she was climbing

A beautiful tote bag you CANNOT win.

2009-10-16T18:47:00.001-05:00

You can't win it because it is mine, all mine. Just had to share this picture of a gift a wonderful fan sent me. She hand quilted this generously-sized tote bag and used the cover of my second historical romance, THE PROMISE, for the picture. You can't tell, but the tote sparkles with iridescent gold flecks, too. Oh, my gosh, was I thrilled when I saw this. Even more thrilled to

IMHO Welcomes Debut Author Jessa Slade!

2009-10-14T00:02:00.008-05:00

Jessa Slade estimates that her journey to “The Call” took almost a hundred rejections over more than a decade on nearly a million final draft words, rounded to the nearest heartache. Her debut urban fantasy romance Seduced by Shadows, Book 1 of The Marked Souls, was called “[a] rich crossover urban fantasy” by Publishers Weekly and “wonderfully addictive” by NYT bestselling author Gena

FTC regulations, blah blah blah

2009-10-09T21:32:00.002-05:00

The FTC has come out with new regulations for bloggers and the blog world is all atwitter about it (so is the Twitter world, which I guess means they are ablogger about it). Anyway, we (bloggers) who discuss books must now discuss them in the context of how those books were acquired. Many bloggers are upset about the new regulations, and see them as a violation of free speech, an attack on

IMHO Welcomes Deb Stover!

2009-10-07T00:02:00.008-05:00

Ah, fall is in the air. October abounds with its images of pumpkins and turning leaves and little ones dressed as lions and witches and bears, oh my! Yes, October can be a fun month with all the Halloween parties, but everyone knows it can have a dark side, too—just like love (you knew I was going to connect the two somehow, didn’t you?). So I’ve come up with a frightening, thinky theme for

And the winner of the "Back to School" tote bag is...

2009-10-04T06:47:00.006-05:00

librarypat! Librarypat, you are the winner of September's "Back to School" tote bag of love. Be sure you contact me at my e-mail address and send me your snail mail address by Oct 10, 2009, or I will have to award your prize to someone else. Congratulations and enjoy! For the rest of youse guys, be sure to come back October 7, this Wednesday, for another round of fabulous authors you should

IMHO Welcomes Vicki Hinze!

2009-09-30T00:02:00.004-05:00

I have the distinct honor and pleasure of welcoming our final guest for the month, Vicki Hinze, to IMHO today. Vicki’s first published novel, a romantic suspense, was a bestseller that sold in nearly a dozen foreign countries. Since then, she's shifted writing focus several times, delving into every genre from science fiction to mystery to Christian fiction and back again, collecting many

A sad loss for the romance industry: Kate Duffy, RIP

2009-09-28T14:50:00.004-05:00

(Image from author ShaneGericke.com's site)News comes that Kate Duffy, Kensington editor and staunch supportor of romance, both books and authors, has died. Read the lovely tribute to her over at the SBTB site.TJB

You know you want it...A picture of Sept's IMHO gift bag!

2009-09-26T14:33:00.012-05:00

As promised, here is a picture of the contents of this month's fabulous "Back to School" tote bag of love. Pictured are all of this month's signed giveaway books and the Magnetic Poetry Kit (the black fabric with the pink hearts is the tote bag, btw). Not pictured is the $20 Barnes & Noble gift card, but it will be in the tote bag when you receive it (providing you are the lucky winner). Trust me

Winner of Vicki Hinze Random Freebie is...

2009-09-25T08:00:00.004-05:00

The winner of one signed copy of Vicki Hinze's very own ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of her newest release, War Games: Kill Zone, is...alicia0605! Congratulations! Now, I have to be honest here. This wasn't a completely random win. I admit it. But I had to agree with CheekyGirl that alicia0605, whose husband is serving overseas, deserved the book. I've worked with the military, have military friends

IMHO Welcomes Heather MacAllister!

2009-09-23T00:02:00.005-05:00

Heather MacAllister has published over 40 books with Harlequin. Her award-winning romantic comedies have been translated into 25 languages and published in dozens of countries. Before she was published, Heather won the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award. Her published novels have since been nominated for the RWA RITA® award three times, and eHarlequin.com readers voted Lone Star Santa

Random Freebies? We don't need no stinkin' Random Freebies!

2009-09-21T18:58:00.010-05:00

Well, maybe we do. Too much dead air time around here, but guess what I got in the mail today? Two signed copies of Vicki Hinze's very own ARC versions (Advance Reader Copy) of her newest release, War Games: Kill Zone. Vicki practically invented the military romantic suspense subgenre, and she'll be my guest at IMHO on Sept 30. One of those books will go into the "Back to School" tote bag of

IMHO Welcomes Ann Macela!

2009-09-16T00:02:00.003-05:00

IMHO is pleased to welcome Medallion Press author Ann Macela today. Ann says she has been blessed with a number of careers: public school and university teacher (three degrees in history); writer of history (the kind bristling with footnotes); sales, marketing and PR person writing everything from ads to annual reports; consultant and computer manual writer; and now romance author. A native

Winner of Random Freebies!

2009-09-15T14:49:00.004-05:00

Okay, I've picked a winner! The winner of Sophie Jordan's autographed novel, The Sins of a Wicked Duke, is ColleenFL! Somehow, her sad birthday sentence was so poignant...Hope you enjoy the book, ColleenFL. Be sure to e-mail me your address so I can mail you your book. And please, please have a better birthday next year.And everyone else, remember you're still playing for all the marbles. Our

I love the smell of RANDOM FREEBIES in the morning...

2009-09-12T10:31:00.007-05:00

What? I haven't given away a Random Freebie in a while, so how about I toss an autographed copy of Sophie Jordan's Sins of a Wicked Duke into the middle of your pack and let you fight it out? Heh heh heh. I can see the fur and boa feathers flying now.Look at that luscious red cover. Look at that redhead so obviously enjoying her new purchase of satin sheets from Linens for Romance Novel Heroines.

IMHO Welcomes Debut Author Annette McCleave!

2009-09-09T00:02:00.004-05:00

IMHO welcomes debut author Annette McCleave, who will discuss this month’s theme, “Back to School: Surprising Things I've Learned from Writing/Reading Romance” in her own inimitable fashion. Annette is the 2008 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® award winning author of Drawn into Darkness, the first novel in a new paranormal romance series about Soul Gatherers--immortal warriors who battle

Another "Madly Desirous" Magnetic Romance Poem

2009-09-06T11:01:00.010-05:00

Thought I'd share another bit of random poetry from the Mixed-up Romance Novel Magnetic Poetry Kit, which is up for grabs as part of this month's "Back to School" goodie tote. I'll even throw in a $20 gift card to Barnes and Noble, just for fun. Oh, and let's not forget all the authors' signed books. Mine, too. Remember, we've already visited with the wonderful Gerry Bartlett, best-selling author

My family is brilliant

2009-09-04T00:05:00.011-05:00

Hi, everyone! I have been blessed with having some very talented people in my extended family, and I wanted to share the work of another one of them with you. Previously, you've seen the amazing videos on You Tube done by BookVideoProductions, which is headed up by my sister, book video and promotional materials designer extraordinaire T.S. Jackson (I will use none other). On my book video for

Problems commenting?

2009-09-02T22:51:00.003-05:00

If you are having problems getting your comments to post, avoid any grin tags like these: :-> because they are interpreted as html and won't be accepted in the comments field. If you still can't get your comment to post, and you'd like to for the contest, send it to me at tjb @ tjbennett . com and I will post it for you. Sorry for the trouble!UPDATE 9/4/05: If you don't have third party cookies

IMHO Welcomes Gerry Bartlett!

2009-09-02T00:02:00.006-05:00

Welcome back to IMHO as we kick off the month of September with our new theme, “Back to School: Surprising Things I've Learned from Writing/Reading Romance.” Every Wednesday, all month long, each of my five guest hosts—Gerry Bartlett, Annette McCleave, Ann Macela, Heather MacAllister, and Vicki Hinze—will give us her unique perspective on this theme, and then offer up an autographed novel for

Winner of the "This Kiss, This Kiss" Tote Bag!

2009-08-30T06:00:00.003-05:00

And the winner of August's "This Kiss, This Kiss" sparkly tote bag featuring autographed books by Kimberly Frost, Karen Young, Linda Warren, Jean Brashear, and yours truly, TJ Bennett, as well as a vintage-style purse, is....ERIN RADFORD!!!Erin, you have until September 4, 2009, to send me an e-mail either through my website or to tjb @ tjbennett . com (no spaces) to claim your prize. Otherwise,

A picture of the "This Kiss, This Kiss" Tote!

2009-08-28T09:39:00.006-05:00

Today is the last day to get your comments in to win our August prize, autographed books from my guest authors Kimberly Frost, Karen Young, Linda Warren, and Jean Brashear, a vintage-style handbag featuring our theme, and my outside-the-box historical romance THE PROMISE, all stuffed into a fun, sparkly Indian-style tote.And speaking of said tote, I can finally put the picture up on the blog!

Odds and ends and Nalini Singh

2009-08-27T09:27:00.003-05:00

Okay, everyone! Just want to mention a few odds and ends. The contest period for this month ends August 28, so be sure to check out all of this month's guest posts and leave your comments for our authors if you would like a chance to win their autographed books as well as a copy of THE PROMISE (my historical romance) and a vintage-style purse featuring our "This Kiss, This Kiss" theme, as well as

IMHO Welcomes Jean Brashear!

2009-08-26T00:02:00.004-05:00

Award-winning Harelequin romance author Jean Brashear knows a lot about taking crazy chances. A lifelong avid reader, at the age of forty-five with no experience and no training, she decided to see if she could write a book. It was a wild leap that turned her whole life upside down, but she would tell you that though she's never been more terrified, she's never felt more exhilarated or more

Another Final; and a guest host reminder!

2009-08-25T14:22:00.003-05:00

Hi, everyone! I can finally reveal that I finaled in the Utah RWA chapter's Heart of the West contest with my work-in-progress, Dark Angel: A Gothic Fairy Tale. I'm working feverishly on finishing the book, yes I am. Loving every minute of it, too, when I'm not removing my eyeballs with a spoon and tearing my hair out in hanks. But, hey, that's the writing life for ya. Here's the list of

The Good, The Bad, The Unread

2009-08-20T10:01:00.002-05:00

I’m being interviewed today at 10am at The Good, The Bad, and The Unread. It’s a cute interview and asked a lot of questions I had never been asked before. I hope you’ll stop by and leave a comment for a chance to win one of two copies of my outside-the-box historical romance, THE PROMISE, of which TGTBTU rated “A-“ and said, “The Promise is on the same level as The Legacy, and that means you

IMHO Welcomes Linda Warren!

2009-08-19T00:02:00.001-05:00

We're back with our next guest, award winning, multi-published category romance author Linda Warren!At eighteen Linda Warren was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, but she hasn’t let that stop her from accomplishing her dream of writing for Harlequin. In January her twenty-fifth book, a Harlequin Super Romance, will be released. She also writes for Harlequin American and Super Everlasting.RITA®

Yes, dadburnit, I'm on Twitter now...

2009-08-16T01:37:00.005-05:00

Good grief, it's finally happened. I've joined a second social networking site. I did it out of self-preservation, really. I was having my friends and RWA chapter mates RT (that's re-tweet) stuff for me, and I realized that was silly, so I cowgirl'd up and joined the Twitter generation myself. Check the sidebar below if you would like to follow me. Not that I mind, but somewhere inside me the

DARK ANGEL: A GOTHIC FAIRY TALE finals in The Rebecca!

2009-08-14T09:14:00.005-05:00

Just a quick note to let you know that my current work-in-progress, Dark Angel: A Gothic Fairy Tale, has finaled in the Land of Enchantment Romance Authors (LERA) Rebecca contest! The contest was open to both published and unpublished authors. Since the book is a little different from what I've done in the past (so, what else is new, right?), I decided to test it out a bit on the contest circuit.

IMHO Welcomes Karen Young

2009-08-12T00:02:00.003-05:00

Karen Young, with more than 10 million books in print, is the USA Today-bestselling author of 35 novels. She is known as a spellbinding storyteller who writes with sensitivity about issues facing contemporary women. She has been nominated three times for the Romance Writers of America RITA and won in 1993 for The Silence of Midnight.Karen's career in writing fiction for women has run the gamut

IMHO Welcomes Kimberly Frost

2009-08-05T00:02:00.001-05:00

Welcome back to IMHO, everyone! I’ve had a nice little break over the last couple of weeks, but it’s time to get back to our monthly themed contests and spotlighting authors you should know. We’re kicking off the month of August by celebrating our theme, “This Kiss, This Kiss.” Each guest author this month is putting her own spin on that theme. As you know, all of our guests will put a signed

Whine Fest

2009-08-03T19:49:00.003-05:00

I normally don't do this on my blog, but I need to whine, and rather than dumping on my family and close personal friends, what better way to unburden myself than to veritable strangers? So here goes. Have you ever had those times in your life that were sort of a helix of stress, tension, frustration, emotion, and chaos? That time when it is the worst possible moment for things to go wrong, and

Kiss me, you fool!

2009-08-02T23:03:00.005-05:00

We're back with a blast for August at IMHO with a brand new contest! In honor of the fact that August 25, 2009, is Kiss and Make Up Day, this month’s theme is, “This Kiss, This Kiss.” For August, my host authors will be discussing the kiss, because who knows more about the romantic kiss than romance authors, I ask you? And since I loved the totes from last month so much, we’ll have a fun, sparkly

Winner of Random Freebies! And August's guests

2009-08-01T11:35:00.014-05:00

Sorry for the late posting, folks. Running a little behind. The lucky winner of Your Roots Are Showing and Perfecting Kate is Martha Lawson!Martha Lawson, please send me an e-mail at tjb @ tjbennett . com (delete the spaces) with your address (U.S. and Canada only) so I can get your winning books out to you. Sadly, since you didn't guess my trivia question (and yes, it was Claude Rains from

RANDOM FREEBIE WINNER AND NEW RANDOM FREEBIE!!

2009-07-27T06:00:00.006-05:00

[7/28/09 Ed. note: I've upped the ante. See the comments on the post for details. MWA-HA-HA...]The winner of Yasmine Galenorn's Demon Mistress Random Freebie is joder! And, joder, you can keep your cat. I’m allergic. :-pCongratulations! Please contact me (tjb @ tjbennett . com) with a snail mail address within the US or Canada where I can send your book. I’ll need to hear from you by July 30 or I