On Thursday we received a visit from Don Davis and Paul Campion from Moore Langen Printing Co., who presented Sourcebooks with the Gold Ink Award for Best Dust Jacket for The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher. 

This highly coveted print industry award is presented at Graph Expo every year (the printing industries version of BEA!), which was held on September 12th at McCormick Place in Chicago.

There were over 1200 entries across 20+ categories, and there were 43 entries in the hardcover jacket category.

Congrats to Moore Langen, the Sourcebooks design and manufacturing teams, as well as the editorial group, author Cameron Stracher, and everyone who pushed to make this cover happen—it’s a gorgeous product and we all know that it’s the best covers that take the most time, hard work and creativity. 

Pictured below (L to R): Dawn Adams, Dominique Raccah, Will Riley, John Donnelly, Don Davis, Paul Campion, Sarah Cardillo, Todd Stocke, Kelly Barrales-Saylor, Kristin Zelazko and Kay Mitchell.

College life expert and author of The Naked Roommate Harlan Cohen was featured extensively in the New York Post article “Welcome to the Real World: Dissatisfaction at College is Sometimes Just a Life Lesson.”

"If you move to another campus and it still stinks, the problem might be you,” says Harlan Cohen, author of “The Naked Roommate” (Sourcebooks, Inc., $14.99). For example, if you think your living arrangement is the root of your misery at your current school, remember, “There are bad roommates on all campuses,” says the author.

The San Diego Union-Tribune revealed its top picks for best children’s picture books of 2011 and Dream Big, Little Pig! by Kristi Yamaguchi made the list!

“Poppy the Pig learns that persistence pays off when following your dreams in this debut picture book from Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi. The story is sweet...the humor of the drawings and Poppy’s determined spirit should appeal to boys as well as girls.“

www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/dec/11/sharing-the-gift-of-reading/

We're pleased to announce that The Lord of Illusion by Kathryne Kennedy, the concluding book in her acclaimed Elven Lord romance fantasy series, has received TWO wonderful starred reviews!

Running in this week's issue of Publishers Weekly:

The Lord of Illusion
Kathryne Kennedy. Sourcebooks Casablanca, $7.99 mass market (448p) ISBN 978-1-4022-3654-9

Fans will adore the satisfying conclusion (after The Lady of the Storm) of Kennedy’s Elven Lords romantic fantasy series. In a medieval England invaded by elves, the human rebellion has gained in strength thanks to the efforts of the elf/human half-breeds, and rebels have managed to steal several of the scepters that channel the lords’ magic. Drystan Hawkes is an unexpected hero, a curator and historian of magical artifacts. The scepters send him visions of Camille Ashton, one of the elves’ human slaves, and hint that she is the key to the rebellion’s success. In love with Camille from his visions, Drystan is overjoyed when he finally finds her, but daunted by the twin challenges of uncovering Camille’s powers and teaching her about loyalty, trust, and love. The world sings with vivid imagery and fantastic magic, and all the previous characters join forces in a thrilling final fight for humankind.

And running in the January 1st issue of Booklist:

The Lord of Illusion.

Kennedy, Kathryne (Author)

Feb 2012. 448 p. Sourcebooks/Casablanca, paperback, $7.99. (9781402236549).

The third book in Kennedy’s Elven Lords series is the story of Drystan Hawkes and Camille Ashton. Forced to give up his birthright when it looked like his magic was powerful enough to condemn him, he was raised outside Elf-ruled England. She is a slave with rainbow-colored elven eyes, but no magic, and is seemingly cursed. Drystan has always been an outcast, taking refuge in books because of convulsions and visions inflicted on him by the scepters stolen by the Rebellion. Finding a rainbow-eyed girl seen in his visions becomes his obsession. Just as his research opens up clues as to the identity of the girl, the Rebellion taps Drystan to go to the palace of Lord Roden, which is where Camille is enslaved. Kennedy’s world-building, featuring an eighteenth-century England ruled by cruel Elven lords facing a rising rebellion of their half-human offspring, is superb. The hero and heroine are also out of the ordinary, and while this novel remains true to romance-genre mores, Kennedy infuses it with unexpected plot twists that will keep fantasy readers enthralled, too.

Book 2 in the Elven Lords series, The Lady of the Storm, was recently named a Top Romance Novel of 2011 by Booklist.

Congratulations!

I Believe In You by Marianne Richmond received a wonderful review from Booklist.

Reviewer Julie Cummins called this picture-book "purposeful" with a "colorful hodgepodge design." She concludes that "this declaration of unconditional love might just provide a caregiver with the right words to express his or her confidence in a child who is not feeling up to the latest task."

Read the full review here.

We have a remarkable list of highly accomplished, truly fantastic authors in the UK, and so it has become an annual tradition for Sourcebooks CEO and Publisher Dominique Raccah to make a trip to London to celebrate our British authors. This year everyone was invited to a dinner party at the historic Reform Club in Pall Mall, London, and as a special treat Shana Drehs, editorial manager for Landmark, the Sourcebooks fiction imprint, also attended the dinner.

Twelve authors attended, including Francesca Simon, Amanda Grange, Elizabeth Chadwick, Erica James, Helen Hollick, Jane Odiwe, Monica Fairview, Phillipa Ashley, Wendy Holden, Ali McNamara, Gabrielle Kimm and James Forrester. 

The party was loads of fun - many laughs, lots of gossip, and of course much deserved appreciation for our beloved British authors. 

Below are some photos, and read Phillipa Ashley's blog post.  Also check out the 12 Days of Christmas with the British Babes Book Brigade, where authors are sharing their favorite holiday traditions (and giveaways!).

Mr. Darcy’s Bite, by Mary Lydon Simonsen, was included in a Sunday Star Ledger roundup of “Five Books You’ll Be Eager to Sink Your Teeth Into.”

This book is written with enough originality, whimsy and respect for Jane Austen’s style to make it stand out in the crowded field of Austen genre mash-ups...The classic love story between Elizabeth and Darcy holds firm, even if things do get a little hairy once a month.

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/arts/index.ssf/2011/12/five_selections_youll_be_eager.html

Sourcebooks Adds Financial Aid Resources to Rapidly Expanding Education Portfolio

Financial Fit Revolutionizes the College Search Process by Addressing Affordability First

(Naperville, IL)—Dec. 5, 2011 - Student debt has surpassed credit card debt for the first time in U.S. history, and the amount of outstanding student loans is expected to exceed $1 trillion in 2011. College seniors graduated with an average of $25,250 in student loans in 2010, up 5 percent from the previous year, according to The Project on Student Debt.

Every year, thousands of college-bound students and parents face the complexity and anxiety associated with filing for and receiving their college financial aid packages, as well as making decisions that will affect them financially for years to come. In fact, financial aid was cited as the most challenging aspect of the college process, according to a recent survey of guidance counselors.

In a process fraught with myths and misinformation, families often find out at the last minute that the colleges of their choice come with unexpectedly high financial burdens.

Sourcebooks, a leading provider in college-bound resources for students, parents, and educators, recognizes the need for sound financial advice and guidance when it comes to going to college. The publisher recently formed a new education division, Sourcebooks EDU, which made its first acquisition on Friday of managingcollegecost.com and myfinancialfit.com. The two online financial aid resources were founded by veteran admissions and guidance counselor Frank Palmasani, to help families conquer college costs.

“The economic impact of the student debt crisis is one of the big unknowns that we are facing today in this country,” Palmasani said. “The Financial Fit College Search Program is intended to engage students, parents, and high school counselors in a unified quest of finding affordable college options. The ultimate goal is to help families manage their college costs without excessive debt.”

It was at the suggestion of Sourcebooks Education Advisory Network member Andrea Purcell, a college and career counselor at Waubonsie Valley High School (Aurora, IL), that Sourcebooks CEO Dominique Raccah found herself at Glenbard South High School on a Saturday morning listening to Palmasani speak to a crowd of 200 parents. Raccah was impressed by the way in which Palmasani’s message reached people who are desperately searching for a process to manage college costs.

“Frank starts with the college search process and provides tools to support families all the way through choosing and paying for college,” Raccah said. “Guidance counselors are telling us they cannot act as financial advisors and have no resources available to direct families to as they begin the college process. We’re finally going to be able to provide help.”

Managingcollegecost.com is a free, subscriber-based website that utilizes Palmasani’s vast and varied 25 years of experience to create a valuable resource for students, parents, and college admissions counselors. As users navigate the site, they will see features and links, along with 33 videos dealing with a wide range of issues pertaining to the financial aid process. Frank’s blog keeps parents up-to-date on the financial aid timeline while teaching them how they can help their student select the best AND most affordable option.

Building on this vision, Palmasani also created myfinancialfit.com, a subscription-based website designed to help families match their affordability threshold with the net price of colleges. Myfinancialfit.com offers a 10-item confidential and anonymous questionnaire that evaluates tax credits, cash flow, available savings, and reasonable borrowing, and then provides families with a college affordability range.

Sourcebooks EDU plans to make these tools more widely available, as well as enhance these resources with additional video, content, webinars, seminars, books, interactive ebooks, and software tools.

# # #

About Frank Palmasani

Frank Palmasani, founder of managingcollegecost.com and myfinancialfit.com, began learning about the financial aid process in 1976, his first year as a high school counselor. In 1981, he moved to the college level eventually becoming a director of admissions. After a twelve-year stint, he returned to the high school arena to a position that he continues to enjoy today, serving as a guidance counselor. In 1985, Palmasani began delivering seminars on the college financial aid and planning process. He estimates he has delivered seminars to more than 100,000 people.

An accomplished seminar presenter, Frank is a member of the Illinois Association of College Admissions Counselors, the National Association of College Admissions Counselors, and the College Board. In addition to his websites for parents, he also has produced seminars for high school counselors, seminars for college admissions representatives, and a classroom presentation for students.

Calling Your Playlist Can Change Your Life a "distintive book," Library Journal explains how the authors, Galina Mindlin, Don DuRousseau and Joseph Cardillo, have created a process where "readers can use music to relieve anxiety, increase alertness, feel happier, and sharpen memory."

They conclude that "this title lends a psychologist's perspective to a common behavior—well worth the purchase."

Read the full review here.

Edward Fiske, college admissions guru and author of the Fiske Guide to Colleges, had his first blog post published on Huffington Post College this afternoon. The op-ed deals with globalization and what it means for colleges and students.

The Huffington Post has over 20 million unique visitors a month. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/edward-fiske/globalization-college-education_b_1121315.html?ref=college

The great news continues for No Proper Lady by Isabel Cooper (ISBN 9781402259524)—late last week it was featured in a romance round up in The Chicago Tribune! You can see the full list at the link, and I’ve pulled the great blurb for No Proper Lady:

Fall romance round-up
From historical romances to futuristic paranormal trysts, this romance novel round-up has something for everyone.
By John Charles
Special to Tribune Newspapers

“No Proper Lady” by Isabel Cooper
Sent into the past to England in 1888, Joan has one goal: find and kill Alexander Reynell. If Joan doesn't succeed, Reynell will use his book of dark magic to call forth demons that will ultimately destroy the world. The first human Joan encounters upon arriving is Simon Grenville, who has his own score to settle with Alexander and is more than willing to help Joan adapt by teaching her how to be a proper lady. While Grenville wants Joan to succeed in her mission, he never expected the price of helping her would be so high: saying goodbye to the woman with whom he has fallen in love. Cooper's inventive plot and tart wit blend together to create a magical romance. (Sourcebooks Casablanca. $6.99)

The Chicago Tribune has a daily circulation of 441,508 and www.ChicagoTribune.com receives 2,871,170 unique visitors per month.

This Fall has been a great one for debut author Isabel Cooper. No Proper Lady has been named to TWO Best of Lists: PW’s Best Books of the Year in the romance category and LJ’s Best Books of the Year in the romance category. Additional praise and honors below!

Praise for
No Proper Lady by Isabel Cooper
ISBN 9781402259524
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2011, Romance Category
A Library Journal Best Book of 2011, Romance Category
RT Book Reviews September 2011 Seal of Excellence
RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice Award Double Nominee: First Historical Romance and Seal of Excellence of the Year

“Sexy, edgy, and stunningly inventive... will have readers begging for more.” —Library Journal, Starred Review

“A genre-bending, fast-paced whirl with fantastic characters, a deftly drawn plot and sizzling attraction...” —RT Book Reviews, 4 ½ Stars, Top Pick of the Month, and Seal of Excellence

“A compelling debut that smartly mixes history, action, romance, and magic.” —Publishers Weekly

“Cooper’s inventive plot and tart wit blend together to create a magical romance.” —The Chicago Tribune

“A strongly written, well-constructed magical world with complex characters.” —Dear Author Recommended Read

“A stunning mix of new age and old school makes this one sensational!” —Fresh Fiction

“I was surprised to learn that this is a debut novel... Very entertaining.”  —Books and Quilts

“Fresh and a little addictive...” —Once Upon A Chapter

“A great read with caring, worthy characters. The mix of cultures (past and present) makes for a wonderful story.” —The Long and Short of It Reviews

“Written with details, depths and has characters that will take your breath away.” —My Book Addiction and More

“A nice twist on historical romance with a touch of magic.” —Drey’s Library

“Fun, exciting and different... too hot to touch and very enjoyable.” —BookLoons.com

“A surprisingly engaging and action packed read...” —Bookaholics Romance Book Club

Darn Good Cowboy Christmas by Carolyn Brown (ISBN 9781402261572) was featured in the USA Today romance blog, Happy Ever After’s holiday romance round up over the weekend! I’ve pasted the full review below, and you can see the full list at the link. Only three books were included in this round up, so this is great coverage for this title on USA Today’s growing romance-focused blog.

Reviews: A collection of holiday-related romances

By Kathy Altman, USA TODAY

Now that the shopping crush is underway, HEA plans to help you keep your holiday spirits up with mini reviews of many of the holiday-related romances out now. Merry reading!

Darn Good Cowboy Christmas, Carolyn Brown
As much as Lizelle Hanson enjoys her life as a fortune teller for the family carnival, ever since she was a little girl she's had the same Christmas wish: to have a house without wheels and a sexy cowboy to share it with. She's 25 when her uncle arranges for the house, and right next door just happens to live the hottest cowboy Liz has ever seen. Not even Texas in July can compare to the heat that she and rancher Raylen O'Donnell generate whenever they're together. But giving up life as a carnie proves harder than Liz expects, especially when she can't help wondering which Raylen wants more — her, or her 20 acres.

Meanwhile, Raylen does his gosh-darned best to show Liz that she, and not her property, is what he's interested in. He shows her in the barn, in her favorite recliner, in a deer stand … you get the idea. ;-)

Darn Good Cowboy Christmas is an earthy, sensual story with delightful glimpses into life with a traveling carnival, as well as what it takes to be a horse breeder. The pace is slow and the dialogue can be redundant, but Liz's fresh, unexpected voice and an array of quirky characters make this a fun holiday read.

Praise for

Darn Good Cowboy Christmas by Carolyn Brown

ISBN 9781402261572

“Sassy and quirky and peopled with an abundance of engaging characters, this fast-paced holiday romp brims with music, laughter... and plenty of Texas flavor.”   —Library Journal

“An earthy, sensual story… an array of quirky characters make this a fun holiday read.” —USA Today’s Happy Ever After Blog

“Carolyn Brown creates some handsomefied, hunkified, HOT cowboys... A fun, enjoyable four-star-Christmas-to-remember novel.” —The Romance Reviews

“Full of sizzling chemistry and razor sharp dialogue.” — Night Owl Reviews; 4 ½ Stars, Reviewer Top Pick

“A story with a cowboy always hits the target, but add a little Christmas flair and a saucy heroine and you have a winner... Hot, humorous and a great time.” —The Long and Short of It Reviews

“A feel-good read.... a romance worth reading.” —RT Book Reviews

“An outstanding Christmas story.” —Sugarbeat’s Books

“Brown seems to always be able to blend her novels together well with the romance and humor which always makes for a delightful read! Bring on the cowboys!!!” —Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My!

“Laugh-out-loud humor... sexy banter... trademark Carolyn Brown cowboy romance.”  —Drey’s Library

“So fun and full of life.” —Books Like Breathing

“Snuggle down and get ready for a holiday ride that will make you laugh out loud and get the romance flowing.”  —Eva’s Sanctuary

“Brown has once again delivered a well-rounded group of characters you will wish were your neighbors.” —Thoughts in Progress

“A great book for a Christmas warm-up, it makes you want to believe in Santa. Throw your hats in the air and stomp your feet for Carolyn Brown.” —BookLoons.com

Parents magazine (circ. 2,203,947), has selected not one, but TWO Sourcebooks titles as part of the 2011 20 Best Children’s Books! Both The Night Night Book by Marianne Richmond and Rocket Town by Bob Logan were selected as part of their Tops for Tots category.

This is a fantastic placement and the section runs in their December issue, so millions of parents will be using this guide to help select gifts for their little ones this year. This is a big testament to the great work done by the whole Jabberwocky team – congratulations!

Seven Sourcebooks titles will be received in the January 2012 issue of RT Book Reviews, including TWO 4 ½ Star Reviews: Dylan by C.H. Admirand and The Lure of Song and Magic by Patricia Rice! The complete reviews are listed below.

RT Book Reviews is the #1 review publication of the romance genre, with a circulation of 70,000. Subscribers will receive their January issue later this month, and it will hit newsstands in early December.

RT Book Reviews, January 2012 Issue

Romance

DYLAN (ISBN 9781402258077)
by C.H. Admirand

Genre: Contemporary Romance, General Contemporary Romance
Sensuality: HOT

RT Rating : 4.5/ 5 Stars

REVIEW: Admirand does an excellent job of setting the scene with her amazing flair for scenery and description. Readers will be able to empathize with the female character and her hesitancy to move forward. The sex scenes are amazing and written with such great detail that readers will be left panting.

Cowboy Dylan Garahan loves two things: his family and his life on the ranch. His life is complete until he meets a brunette with green eyes, eyes that change color depending on her mood. Ronnie Delvecchio is a city girl who has made her home in Texas. Still hurting from the betrayal of her first marriage, she is reluctant to give love another try — even if it comes in the form of a muscular cowboy who doesn’t take no for an answer. (SOURCEBOOKS, Jan., 384 pp., $6.99)

Reviewed By: B. Nakia Garner

SINS OF THE HIGHLANDER (ISBN 9781402261824)
by Connie Mason and Mia Marlowe

Genre: Historical Romance, Scotland
Sensuality: HOT
Setting: 1562 Scotland

RT Rating: 4/5 Stars

REVIEW: Mason has a new writing partner, Mia Marlowe, and the two authors have revamped Mason’s 2010 unreleased title and made it slightly better. The story of a man obsessed with revenge and the only woman who can bring him peace, it’s a page-turning, emotional romance, rich in historical details and plot twists.

A bride for a bride. Lachlan Drummond killed his wife so “Mad Rob” MacLaren kidnaps his enemy’s bride-to-be from the altar. Despite the two clans on his tail, Rob takes Lady Elspeth Stewart to his home, but the last thing he imagines is falling in love with her. Elspeth agreed to an arranged marriage to please her father. The last thing she expects is to be abducted on her wedding day, much less by a madman, but with her gift of sight, she comes to realize that beyond Rob’s thirst for revenge lies a broken heart — one her own heart longs to heal. (SOURCEBOOKS, Jan., 400 pp., $7.99)

Reviewed By: Maria Ferrer

THE LURE OF SONG AND MAGIC (ISBN 9781402255748)
by Patricia Rice

Genre: Contemporary Romance, General Contemporary Romance
Sensuality: HOT

RT Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

REVIEW: The descendants of the Malcolms have been brought to the present with a truly terrific story. Even if you have never met a Malcolm before, you will be enthralled by this tale. Rice brings you great characters, a dynamite plot and plenty of magic and she accomplishes the whole thing without a shoot-out. Don’t miss it.

Dylan “Oz” Ozwin may be a big L.A. producer, but he hasn’t been able to find his kidnapped son, despite a year of frantic searching. Most people tell him to mourn his lost child, but Oz will not give up. Now an anonymous email has him hunting for a failed child singing sensation named Syrene who might hold a clue. He finds her, but Syrene is no more. She has become Phillipa James, reclusive children’s author, and has vowed never to sing again.

Pippa, as she is known, is sympathetic to Oz, but he does not realize the havoc that her voice can produce. While she has been practicing control over the years, her power over her voice is still very imperfect. The chemistry between the two is immediate and electric, but perhaps even more importantly, Oz is immune to her talent. Finally Pippa can just talk to someone without suppressing joy or anger; Oz will remain himself. Will this enable Pippa to leave her aerie? Everyone else she meets falls under her spell. She certainly cannot be part of Oz’s L.A. life, but can she save a little boy? Is the child even alive? (SOURCEBOOKS, Jan., 352 pp., $7.99)

Reviewed By: Bunny Callahan

HOLD ME IF YOU CAN (ISBN 9781402241970)
by Stephanie Rowe

Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
Sensuality: HOT

RT Rating: 4/5 Stars

REVIEW: The third in Rowe’s Soulfire series, Hold Me if You Can is full of smart quips, adventure and sultry romance and, good news for new readers, this title can stand on its own. It’s a great escape for fans of paranormal, and there’s a little levity mixed in with the death-defying danger. Rowe writes books with something for everyone and is an author to keep on your must-buy list. Natalie thinks she has freedom at last and is living her dream as a chocolatier, but her gift comes at a dangerous price.

Nigel is a warrior who will drop his sword to pick up a paint brush and capture that perfect moment. He and his fellow warriors have escaped imprisonment only to discover an even more treacherous threat. Natalie is at the core of this danger and is the only one who can help them, but she’s also the girl voted most likely to bring him down in the process. (SOURCEBOOKS, Jan., 384 pp., $6.99)

Reviewed By: Terri Dukes

SCRUMPTIOUS (ISBN 9781402259821)
by Amanda Usen

Genre: Contemporary Romance, General Contemporary Romance
Sensuality: HOT

RT Rating: 4/5 Stars

REVIEW: The title perfectly summarizes the feel of this book. Both the main characters and the culinary dishes are described in such a way that readers can practically taste, see and feel every word. Usen has a way with words and it translates to a solid storyline with great sex scenes.

Marly lives her life from one man to another. Due to her father leaving her mother, and her mother getting married four times, she sees relationships and love as a waste of time. Joe is her kindred spirit, a successful chef who has left a string of panties and one-night stands in his wake. But when the two come together, more than sexual sparks fly and it proves to be difficult to just walk away. (SOURCEBOOKS, Jan., 320 pp., $6.99)

Reviewed By: B. Nakia Garner

A DEMON DOES IT BETTER (ISBN 9781402236723)
by Linda Wisdom

Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
Sensuality: HOT

RT Rating: 4/5 Stars

REVIEW: With a riotous cast of characters, a unique preternatural setting, a dark mystery and an evil villain, this novel gives you more than just a run-of-the-mill paranormal romance. Readers will benefit from the author’s ability to pull it all together into a story that will keep your interest and keep you entertained until the very end. Wisdom gives romance lovers a new couple that rules the pages.

Dr. Lili Carter, witch and healer, has returned to Crying Souls Hospital after a century away to look into the disappearance of her friend. When she gets there she’s appalled by the antiquated asylum, especially the extremely hot but also mistreated demon known as Patient 1172.

Jared, aka 1172, has been incarcerated by Dr. Mortimer for an unknown but extensive amount of time. He knows he’s in increasing danger when a miracle appears in the form of the new witch, the smoking hot Dr. Lili Carter. Ignoring their attraction is impossible, as is the immediate need to find the truth about what’s really going on at the asylum. Sparks fly as this unlikely team delves into the dark things happening on the grounds of Crying Souls Hospital. (SOURCEBOOKS, Jan., 352 pp., $7.99)

Reviewed By: Debbie Haupt

Women’s Fiction

SECRETS (ISBN 9781402260148)
by Freya North

Genre: Mainstream, General Mainstream Fiction

RT Rating: 4/5 Stars

REVIEW: Secrets is a very modern tale of all-too-familiar humanity. Joe and Tess are fantastically realistic, and stunningly normal. Joe is alternately a hero and a tosser, and Tess is smart but flawed in ways that will seem hauntingly similar to many modern women you know (or may be). The story itself is slow, the action is paced at the speed of a walk in the country. Nothing exciting happens here; it is simply a very well-crafted story of two people who find themselves and their future in each other.

Joe posts an advertisement for a housesitter to mind his place while he is on his many travels. He loves his seaside house, his great job and the fact that he has no commitments. Tess shows up at his door with a ratty car, all that she owns in her trunk and a bundle in her arms that he doesn’t expect. She’s an enigma whose background is a mystery. As Joe and Tess get to know each other, their communication is the only thing that can save them from the secrets they reveal to each other. (SOURCEBOOKS, Jan., 496 pp., $14.99)

Reviewed By: Victoria Frerichs

Wonderful news: The Soldier by Grace Burrowes has been named to the extended Library Journal 2011 Best Book list, “More of the Best” List and No Proper Lady by Isabel Cooper has been included on the Best of Romance list!

You can find the More of the Best List here: http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/2011/11/best-of/best-books-2011-more-of-the-best/

And you can find the Best of Romance List here: http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/2011/11/best-of/best-genre/best-books-2011-romance/

Earlier this year, The Soldier received a starred review from Library Journal, along with more great praise, including a 4 ½ Star Review and Top Pick of the Month in the June issue of RT Book Reviews.

Earlier this month, No Proper Lady was also named a 2011 PW Best Book of the Year. Isabel has received great praise for No Proper Lady, including a starred Library Journal Review, RT Book Reviews’ Seal of Excellence for the month of September and a Dear Author recommended read.

This has been a great year for our fiction titles, with five books being recognized on four “Best of” lists by the trade publications:

Library Journal – More of the Best

The Soldier by Grace Burrowes

Library Journal – Romance Category

No Proper Lady by Isabel Cooper

Publishers Weekly – Romance Category

No Proper Lady by Isabel Cooper

Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star by Heather Lynn Rigaud

Booklist – Romance Category

The Return of Black Douglas by Elaine Coffman

The Lady of the Storm by Kathryne Kennedy

Fiske Interactive College Guide has made the FutureBook Innovation Awards shortlist for best reference/non-trade app! The awards will be presented at the end of the FutureBook Conference 2011 on December 5 in London.

The FutureBook Innovation Award, which is hosted by The Bookseller, highlights and celebrates professionals across the trade who are doing the real work to facilitate digital innovation. View the full shortlist announcement:

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/futurebook-innovation-awards-shortlist-revealed.html

Maureen Corrigan had some really fantastic things to say about The Pilgrim, calling it a “delightful find” and a “moody, intelligent novel.”

“The Pilgrim is one of those straightforward works of historical fiction the likes of which we don't see so much anymore… it conjures up that dangerous black magic spell that the most powerful historical novels cast: The Pilgrim makes us feel that, even if this version of the past isn't quite accurate, this is the version we wholeheartedly believe — at least for the space of reading.”

To read the full review, click here.

Maureen Corrigan, book critic for NPR's Fresh Air, is a critic-in-residence and lecturer at Georgetown University.

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues, is one of public radio's most popular programs. Each week, nearly 4.5 million people listen to the show's intimate conversations broadcast on more than 450 National Public Radio (NPR) stations across the country, as well as in Europe on the World Radio Network.

President Lee Myung-Bak of South Korea was on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered on Tuesday to talk about his autobiography, The Uncharted Path.

You can hear the segment on NPR.org, and read an excerpt from the book.

Glynis McCants, numerologist and author of Love by the Numbers, appeared on The Talk (CBS) yesterday to talk about the special meaning of today's date: 11-11-11.

She also gave a live reading to each of the hosts.

View the full segment here.

Debut author Karen Fisher-Alaniz was on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday with host Audie Cornish, discussing her new memoir, Breaking the Code: A Father’s Secret, a Daughter’s Journey, and the Question That Changed Everything.  Joining Karen was her father, Murray Fisher, who, on his 81^st birthday, placed two weathered notebooks on Karen’s lap. Inside were more than 400 pages of letters he'd written to his parents during WWII. 

HEAR the interview at NPR.org: http://n.pr/sSJ602

With the release of this book, Karen started a blog as a space for veterans of war and their families can share their stories – www.storymatters2.com.